Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. Welcome back to Term 2! I trust your children had a restful and enjoyable break and are now ready to dive back into their academic journey with renewed enthusiasm.
As we enter the second term of the school year, I would like to reflect on your children’s progress so far. The students have settled back in well and continue to work hard to succeed in their (I)GCSE and BTEC subjects. The jump from Year 9 to Year 10 is significant; students find the workload higher and demands greater. They have shown great dedication and commitment to their studies, and I am proud of their accomplishments. Their hard work and determination have not gone unnoticed, and I am confident they will continue excelling in the coming term.
In Term 2, we will build upon the foundation laid in the previous term and delve deeper into the curriculum. We aim to ensure your children have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed academically, specifically for their upcoming (I)GCSE mocks and exams.
Successes throughout Term 1 have been rewarded with shout-outs, certificates and emailed notes of praise. Additionally, the tutors continue to meet with the students regularly through their 1:1 sessions to support their wellbeing, and we still have the support of Mr Broderick and Jess Hickling. Please contact me or the tutors if your child would benefit from wellbeing sessions with Mr Broderick or counselling from Jess Hickling.Â
We support our students’ overall growth, which includes their involvement in extracurricular activities. We will provide a variety of extracurricular activities in Term 2, including clubs, sports and the arts. Kindly urge your child to participate in these activities and find their interests and skills outside the classroom.
A few reminders:Â
Punctuality and attendance
- Students must arrive at school by 8.15am and head to tutor sessions at 8.20am.
- If your child cannot attend school, please fill in the jotform here and encourage them to access the Google Classrooms once they are well enough to catch up on missed work.Â
- 1:1 sessions with their tutor are compulsory. Times and dates have been arranged with students by their tutors.
Uniform/hair reminder
- Hair must be a natural colour.
- Nails must also be neutral and short.
- Complete PE kit should be worn on days when students have PE at any period.
- In cold weather, only school jackets may be worn.
Target setting and diaries
- Students should write down all their homework, test dates and reminders in their school diaries.
- Diaries should be signed by parents/guardians weekly.
- Students will be meeting 1:1 with their subject teachers again soon to review their Term 1 targets – it would be wonderful if parents/guardians could also have conversations around these targets at home; all are written in school diaries.
Important Dates for the Term Ahead
- DBIS Live – 7th February 2024
- Chinese New Year Break – 10th – 18th February 2024
- Shrek Jnr Performance – 5th, 6th and 7th March 2024
- International Week – beginning 4th March 2023
- Secondary Sports Day – 11th March 2024
- Year 10 Mock Exams – 21st – 31st May 2024
Finally, we appreciate clear contact lines between parents/guardians and the school. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any queries or worries or if you need clarification on any topic.Â
Best Regards
Tracey Smal