Good afternoon,
I hope that you have had a great week.
Our Year 11 students have now started their exams, and we are incredibly impressed by the way in which they have approached their revision, and it has been great to see so many of them making use of the additional revision sessions that are being held. In order to ensure that all pupils taking exams are properly prepared, we provide a breakfast for them when they have a morning exam. This has always been popular in previous years; staff come down and help with any last-minute questions or help to calm any nerves, whilst tucking into some tasty toast. Staff in SEND also offer a lot of support during the exam period. Exam nerves affect everyone; it is normal to get a little anxious. We are governed by very strict guidelines by the exam regulator with regards to where pupils can take their exams. If your child is feeling particularly nervous, we can find strategies to support them, but we will not be able to change the location of where they take their exam unless it has been approved in advance, in accordance with the regulator. Similarly, our Year 10 and Year 13 students will soon be facing their exams, and we extend our best wishes for their success as well.
As you know, we are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed at Alsager School. One area of focus for us moving forward is the importance of getting to lessons on time. This is not only a matter of ensuring academic success, but also about developing strong habits for the future. Internal truancy is a challenge that is being seen in schools across the country, and it’s something we need to address head-on. Our staff continue to walk students to lessons who are struggling with this, but we do need a clear deterrent. I kindly ask for your support in reminding your child of the importance of arriving on time and engaging fully in their learning.
It’s been a delight to see our students making the most of the sunny weather, particularly during lunch breaks. Our tennis courts have been buzzing with students enjoying games and physical activities, promoting healthy habits and having lots of fun together. I did make the suggestion of getting the skipping ropes out but that did not go down too well.
We had a safeguarding and SEND review this week and I am pleased to report that our review was incredibly positive. The feedback we received highlighted the strong systems in place to ensure that every child feels safe and supported at school. We will continue to prioritise safeguarding and provide the necessary support to all students. Our SEND team is held in very high regard and are constantly looking for creative ways to support our pupils.
We have also seen some great achievements in our school sports teams recently, which we have shared on our social media. Our football teams have performed well in their matches, and we’re especially excited about the upcoming Sentinel Cup football final tonight at Newcastle Town Football Club, kick off at 7pm. Good luck to everyone involved. A reminder to let me know of your child’s achievements outside of school. It is always a delight to catch up with them and listen to all of the great things they are involved with.
In addition to our regular lessons, we have welcomed some incredible visitors to our school. Our local police constable, PC Andy Cornall, recently spoke with our Year 8 and Year 9 students about keeping themselves safe, as well as the importance of maintaining appropriate behaviour both inside and outside of school. We also had the privilege of working with a professional poet and professional storyteller who conducted workshops with our Key Stage 3 English classes. A challenge to all of you from the 70’s/80’s who can remember the name of the show with the theme tune: “I am the storyteller, and my story must be told.” And apologies for the earworm on a Friday evening!
As we enter the exam period, we would like to wish our Year 10, Year 11, and Year 13 students the very best of luck. If your child is in the midst of exams, we wish you luck too!
The weather has been a little mixed this week; it has looked a lot warmer than it has actually been, but the forecast for the weekend is good. As always, thank you for your continued support and whatever your plans, have a lovely weekend.
“The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived.” (Robert Jordan)
