Message from the Headteacher 20-01-2012
The Christmas holidays now seem a faint distant memory, the spring term has started well and been busy for staff, students and parents.
Thursday 12th January saw the Year 11 Mock Results Assembly. Several students informed me that they felt we had created a very real experience, they really felt the pressure as they opened the envelope. My thanks go not only to Sandy Upper School staff, who gave up the time to support the students, but also to all the teachers from schools within the Pinnacle Trust who joined us, as well as School Governors. The behaviour of the students was impeccable and made me proud. This year we modified the programme slightly by asking two students from the Sixth Form to talk to the Year group, my thanks go to Katie Doran and Ashley Boness who spoke honestly about their experiences. Mrs Bernard made it abundantly clear that all the students could improve their performance in the summer; the School would provide support in many different ways, but there was no short cut to hard work. I reiterated that I would not wish them good luck, relying on luck is not the way to secure success! I would like to thank all my colleagues who worked hard to mark the examination papers and enter the grades in time for this event to be run.
On the same day as the Mock Results Assembly we ran the Year 11 Parents’ Evening and a week
later the Parents/Student’s Workshops on revision and examination techniques. I would like to thank all those parents who supported these events and to the staff and Sixth Form students who volunteered to help run the sessions.
As staff, we started the year with an Inset day and one of the first things that I had the pleasure to relate to colleagues was that Mrs Hammond is now a proud mother, so our congratulations to her.
I then welcomed two new colleagues to the Sandy Upper School team: Mr S Burrows is the new Subject Leader for Geography. Mr D Burrows (no relation) joins the ICT department.
I wish both these colleagues well as they start their career at Sandy Upper School; I have to say that both have made great impressions.
Throughout this year I have been focusing with staff on improving teaching and learning; as a result, it is becoming increasingly common for colleagues to be observing the progress students are making in lessons. This drive will be continuing throughout the rest of this year, I hope that your son/daughter is noticing an improvement in their learning.
Mr D Stevinson
Headteacher
