We have come
to the end of another school year;
please allow me to thank the
whole school community of teachers, technicians, admin and site staff, canteen
staff and all support staff and all of you, parents and families, for your
support of the school.
At the St Peter’s Mass and presentation afternoon,
we celebrated all sorts of achievement and it was lovely to see not only the
attentiveness and prayerfulness of all students during the Mass, but also the
genuine pleasure students took in applauding the success of others, maturely
and genuinely.
We have been
very pleased by this year’s ‘faculty fortnights’ which celebrated the breadth
of the subjects taught at the school.
From talks by BBC Wildlife cameramen in the geography fortnight, to
visiting lecturers and poets, to Bake-Off competitions and Sports Day, to
Science Shows and mathematical puzzles, to music and drama performances of the
highest standard, we have been encouraged to see that all subjects deserve and
reward study and that every faculty has something distinctive to offer the
school. I am extremely grateful to staff
and students for the work they have put into this venture.
This week I
have also been very pleased by the excellence of the work of our key stage 3
historians whose presentation evening was such a success, by the extremely
positive feedback from staff and students who went on the residential trip to
the Ardeche and by the success of the school’s junior Duke of Edinburgh Award
group.
I am
delighted too with the number of students who were invited to go on ‘rewards
trips’ such as the RE trip to Harvington Hall, trips which provide an
opportunity to thank and reward students who are doing their best.
We have just
said farewell to a number of staff who are moving on or retiring. Mrs Russell-Smith, Mr Glover, Mrs McHale and
Mr Richards are retiring; Mr Martin, Miss
Olney, Mr Mains, Mr and Mrs Roberts, Mrs Hopkins, Mr Barnard and Mrs Cameron
are all moving on to new challenges and opportunities. We have been able to thank them all this
afternoon and wish them the best.
Buses have been an issue for me (and
for you!) in the last month. Please keep
an eye on the webpage (stpetershigh.net > Parents and Community > Buses) for updates and further information as the
holidays progress.
IMPORTANT If you wish to avail yourselves of any of the services offered by
John Dix Travel, please reply by the end
of July at the latest. Mr Dix will
have to make decisions about the precise services he will offer, after that
date.
I have tried
to provide families with end-of-year reports
which give statements about students’ progress and a comment from form
tutors. What I am trying to do hear is
balance the need to provide parents and carers with proper and good information
about students without burdening teachers with toil. (Even at 2 minutes per subjects report, which
is probably far less than it really takes, my calculations are that we are
using seven and half weeks’ work to write these reports, albeit spread over all
the teachers. I need to be sure,
somehow, that this work is worthwhile.)
I have had some useful feedback emails about this year’s process and I
should be grateful to read more.
There will
be a letter to all families later in the summer, by way of beginning the new
year. This will be emailed to those
whose emails we have and posted to those where we don’t have email
addresses. It would be good to have all
your emails addresses!
Finally, I
have been asked to pass on to you the services of a former pupil. Simeon Whitter is a former pupil of St. Peter’s.
He is an
Estate Planning Consultant for a national company called The Will Associates.
His company specialises in protecting people through a range of services including Wills,
Probate and Lasting Power of Attorneys etc. You can contact Simeon by telephone
(t: 01452 203135
m: 07872 940315).
All being well, when we return in September the school will have a new electronic gate system to enhance safeguarding and the safety of the site. It is odd that a school named after St Peter should take so long to get a set of gates which only the good can enter, but here we are. Visitors will have to speak through an intercom to reception if they visit the school during school hours. I am sure we shall quickly get used to the system!
m: 07872 940315).
All being well, when we return in September the school will have a new electronic gate system to enhance safeguarding and the safety of the site. It is odd that a school named after St Peter should take so long to get a set of gates which only the good can enter, but here we are. Visitors will have to speak through an intercom to reception if they visit the school during school hours. I am sure we shall quickly get used to the system!
I wish you
all the best for the holidays.
Philip Rush
