Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope that you have had a good week. Things seem a lot brighter when the weather is better and the forecast for the weekend seems good.
We’ve continued to work through our action plan to become a mobile-free school, this week. The phone pouches have now arrived, and we’re currently delivering assemblies about the reasons for the change and exactly how it will work day to day.
We’ll be holding parent meetings next Thursday to talk the process through, share what pupils can expect, and answer any questions. For this to work well, we really will need the support of parents and carers, and we’re pleased that the feedback so far has been positive.
This also reflects the wider national conversation about reducing the impact that smartphones and social media can have on young people. Some of you may have watched already The Social Dilemma on Netflix, which is a documentary examining the impact of social media and technology platforms on users. It has had positive reviews and I also plan to watch it at the weekend.
Alongside our introduction of phone pouches, we’re also taking part in the NOMO project. This gives pupils in Y9 and 10 the option to download an app (developed by leading academics) that’s designed to help young people manage their social media use in a positive, proactive way and earn real-life rewards for building healthier habits.
If you think this could be helpful for your child, please use the download link shared by the school. Taking part is completely optional and if you’d prefer your child not to use the app, you don’t need to do anything.
yesnomo.com/leaderboard/uk2026
We are fast approaching exam season. Our Year 10, 11 and 13 pupils are working hard and making great use of lesson time, along with the additional sessions that are running.
We know this time of year can feel stressful for families too. If you’d like to join us to share tips on supporting young people with revision and managing exam worries at home, please come along to our next Tea, Toast and Talk on Wednesday 20 May at 8:30. It will be a relaxed chance to swap ideas and talk through wellbeing strategies.
Please do continue to share your child’s out-of-school successes with us. It is lovely to hear about their achievements.
A gentle reminder to park as far away as possible from the school gates to ease congestion and make it easier for our pupils to cross the roads. Staff are on duty in these areas but are not there to direct traffic.
As always, thank you for your continued support and whatever your plans, have a lovely weekend.
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” (George Bernard Shaw)
