From www.wcgs.org.uk
Headmaster's Newsletter 7th January 2008
By tmarden
Jan 7, 2008, 15:51
7th January 2008
Dear Parents,
I write at the beginning of the New Year and wish you every good fortune.
I am pleased to welcome to the School Mr. Parkes, who has been appointed as Director of Music on a temporary basis for the Spring Term 2008. A pianist, Mr. Parkes studied music at the Colchester Institute gaining a BA in Music. He completed a PGCE at Sussex University prior to teaching in Cambridgeshire. He moved to West Sussex as Head of Music at Westergate Community College and then at Portslade Community College. Mr. Parkes recently took a year’s sabbatical, exploring the culture and music of several continents. I am pleased to secure such an experienced teacher until the permanent teacher is able to take up her post at Easter.
Mrs. Jaffer’s baby is expected around the 29th of this month and she is taking maternity leave from today. Mrs. Jaffer fills a significant number of roles. During her absence, Dr. Spencer will take over responsibility as Acting Director of Science in addition to her responsibilities as Subject Leader for Biology and for the Community aspects of the Science College. Dr. Stewart will serve until August as Subject Leader for Physics; he is presently second in the department and he will continue his duties as Year Leader. Mr. Bean will serve as Year Leader of Year 7 until August, remaining as form tutor to his class.
Mrs. Jaffer’s Physics teaching will be taken by Dr. Bhalla until July. After completing her BSc and MSc, Mrs. Bhalla taught for four years at a public school in India and secured a BEd degree. She undertook research, including a period as a Research Fellow in Edinburgh University, and her research culminated in the award of a PhD in Physics. Coming to this country, Dr. Bhalla worked as a supply teacher in Lancashire and London prior to starting a PGCE course at Goldsmith University, London. Dr. Bhalla did her final student placement last term with us, working alongside Mrs. Jaffer in anticipation of her taking over Mrs. Jaffer’s timetable.
There will be a Mufti Day on Friday, pupils contributing £2 each to their Sports Hall Appeal. Archaeological excavations have been taking place in the lower field prior to the construction of the Sports Hall. The Saxon settlement which predated Wallington had its centre near the Stone Bridge over the River Wandle. I expect later this term to write to you to report that planning approval has been won for our sports hall and to relaunch the appeal. My Chairman of Governors and I have written to local councillors, MPs and ministers as part of a publicity campaign; we feel most strongly that Sutton has not given this grammar school sufficient funding.
This term sees a goodly number of meetings, parents’ consultations and evenings concerning options, together with the school production. Please look carefully at the term calendar. Some students have external examinations; please note we want to keep disruption to a minimum and there is no study leave except on the day of the examination.
At the beginning of a New Year we commit ourselves once more to seeking the best for your son or daughter. My assemblies have the theme of a new beginning. The Behaviour for Learning policy has made a difference. We are, however, making a new beginning. Now that pupils know we mean business, we are wiping the slate clean. We are determined to stamp out low-level disruption of lessons which inhibits pupils learning and is disrespectful to staff.
The policy is zero tolerant. It is intended to save teaching staff time and effort, the administration being transferred to support staff and the detentions held by senior staff. Teachers should be able to concentrate on teaching. The policy operates automatically and is undermined by parents writing to seek clarification of offences. A pupil given a C3 Friday SLT detention has been warned twice in class already (having been issued with a C1 verbal warning and a C2, their name written on the board). If misbehaviour continues, a third C3 will automatically trigger a C4, which is a Saturday morning detention, normally with me; this is serious and parents will be required to attend school to see the relevant Year Leader. The fourth C3 triggers a C5, which is an Inclusion, pupils being removed from lessons for a day. The fifth C3 automatically triggers a C6, a day’s Exclusion.
As I say to pupils, from today the slate is wiped clean. There is no excuse for misbehaviour nor disrespect to staff.
This New Year I expect high standards from pupils, in behaviour as well as in achievement.
With every good wish,
Headmaster.
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