Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to the start of the new school year. It has been wonderful to see our students return, and although some of our new Year 7 pupils looked a little nervous this morning, I am confident that they will soon settle into life at Alsager School. We have implemented an exciting transition programme this year to ensure that they quickly become accustomed to our routines, high expectations, and the opportunities available to them.
It is also fantastic to welcome so many students into Year 12. They looked very smart today and were clearly eager to begin their A Level and vocational courses. They should all feel very proud of themselves. Their GCSE results were outstanding—among the very best across Cheshire East. For example, Edward achieved 12 grade 9s, Alex achieved 11 grade 9s and a grade 8 and Anya who achieved 7 grade 9s, 4 grade 8s and a grade 7. There were a remarkable number of top grades achieved in a wide variety of subjects: in History 27% of the grades were 9-7; PE 49% of the grades were 9-7; in Biology 100% of the grades were 9-5. It really was a great year. But success is not just about top grades; it is about ensuring every young person is equipped for the next stage of their education. Many of our students were delighted on results day simply because their hard work had enabled them to secure the grades they needed for their chosen pathway. As one student put it, “Hard work really does pay off.”
It wasn’t just at GCSE level where we saw great successes—our achievements at A level and vocational courses were equally impressive. This year a whopping 30% of grades at A level were A*/A; 60% A*/B and 87% A*/C. Individual successes include Freya who will read History at Cambridge, Jason going to the University of Bath to read Chemical Engineering and two students off to Durham. This year 99% of our cohort have been placed at great universities. Some have chosen an apprenticeship route, and James was successful at securing a position of officer in the RAF. Some very diverse post 18 routes and how exciting for them all. Our strapline of “An achieving school, a caring community” is not just words—it genuinely reflects what happens here at Alsager School. This is thanks to the dedication of our staff, our high standards, and the commitment of our students.
Our uniform is part of those high standards. We know that teenagers will often try to test boundaries, but we ask for your support in ensuring our expectations are met. Our uniform policy is available on the school website. A few issues we have picked up today include make-up that is not subtle, excessive fake tan, hair dyed in more than one colour, and additional piercings. Please note we only allow one stud in the lower lobe, and clear nose studs are not permitted. We appreciate that not every family will always agree with every school rule. However, our rules are in place to support consistency, fairness, and the smooth running of the school. We kindly ask that you support us by encouraging your child to follow our policy. This helps us to maintain clear expectations for all students, which in turn benefits the whole school community.
Attendance remains a key priority for us. The government has renewed its focus on this, and we know that good attendance is directly linked to good outcomes. If you are finding this area challenging, please do get in touch so that we can support you.
We are delighted to welcome Mr Bamba this year as the new Head of Moreton College. A reminder also that your child’s form tutor should always be your first point of contact if you have any concerns. If something cannot be resolved, we can then escalate appropriately.
Our enrichment programme is also running again this year. All Year 7 pupils will join an enrichment club, and on Friday morning they will attend an Enrichment Fair to sign up. These opportunities are also open to students in other year groups, and full details will be shared shortly and published on our website.
The start of the academic year is always exciting. Despite the weather not being on our side today, it has been a very positive beginning. I know that getting back into school routines can be a bit of a shock to the system after the summer, and there may well be some tired faces and even a few sore feet by the end of the week as everyone adjusts to wearing school shoes again. I must admit, I’m already missing my Crocs—I think I’ll be soaking my feet this evening too!
If there is anything you are unsure about, please don’t hesitate to contact us. In addition, if your child has achieved something over the summer holidays—whether inside or outside school—I would love to hear about it.
Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.
“Invest in our teachers, and our children will succeed.” (Barack Obama)
