Dear Parents and Carers
We write at the end of another super year for our school.
Our students and staff have achieved so very much and you will find that our very new website provides a snapshot of that great achievement. Do please log on and even contribute a thread to one of the many blogs currently live on our website! You will see our final ‘The Specialist’ newsletter of the academic year on the website too which makes a delightful read.
Sadly, for this year, we have decided to not go ahead with our ‘@ Nunthorpe’ magazine as one of a number of economy measures the school is engaged in. In these genuine times of austerity across the country, the school is also determined to make budget savings wherever we can without directly affecting our students and their education. We will continue to review our magazine arrangements over the next two school years.
As we break up for the Summer vacation, we thought it timely to remind you/update you with some important information for September.
2010-2011 Key Dates
Our 2010-2011 School Calendar has been live on our website for some weeks now. Please consult it carefully for all key dates for next year. Our Staff PD training days are itemised there in detail for you. Should you need a paper copy of our calendar, these are freely available to you through our Main Reception – just call the school’s Main Switchboard and ask Jane Gajda (Senior Receptionist) to send you a copy to your home address,
Start of Autumn Term 2010 Arrangements
You will notice from our 2010-2011 Calendar that we have, as usual, a ‘staggered’ beginning to the Autumn Term.
Friday, 3rd September 2010 is a normal school day for Years 7, 12 and 13/14 only;
Monday, 6th September 2010 is a normal school day for all Year groups – 7-13/14 inclusive.
School Uniform (11-16 students)
There are no changes to our uniform policy for 2010-2011. As usual, this is detailed in full on our website. Please, in particular, note the acceptable school shoes and acceptable school bags pages. We will, as ever, be checking uniform very carefully in September ensuring that we get off to another year of high standards of presentation and conduct for our students.
School Equipment
You will all know that it is our expectation that all students in Years 7-11 come to school each day equipped for learning. This means:
- They are in perfect uniform – all day, every day
- They have a fully equipped pencil case with them
- They have an up to date Student Planner with them
- They have all necessary books, files and equipment (e.g. SPORT kit) with them for each day.
These are basic expectations and they will be enforced rigidly again from 6th September 2010. Please do ensure that your son/daughter avoids any need for school sanctions by adhering to these expectations every single school day.
BSF (‘Building Schools for the Future’) – our new school!
There has been much in the national and local press about the cancellation of many BSF projects across England.
You will know that our BSF project, along with all projects in Redcar and Cleveland local authority, has been stopped with immediate effect. Obviously, this is a blow for all schools. I will write to parents during the Autumn Term with an update on our position when we know more. The government’s Comprehensive Spending Review in October will, we are confident, result in the securing of some, much smaller, capital amounts to at least do the urgent building work needed in parts of our campus.
New Car Park Arrangements with effect from 1st September 2010
As a popular and very large secondary school with an equally popular primary school as our neighbour, we have, for many years, suffered from inadequate amounts of car parking spaces for both schools. We do have no easy solution to this ongoing problem short of lifting up both schools and moving them to a different location!
Most unfortunately, since we remarked our main car park (one of our 3 car parks) during the summer of 2008 with clearly defined hatched areas and double yellow lines, it is quite apparent that unless we physically staff our main gate or manage the traffic then we constantly ‘battle’ with visitors using these areas for parking – thus congesting our car park and creating obstacles for emergency vehicles. We have also installed clamping signs as a deterrent – which visitors frequently choose to ignore.
For these reasons and the very obvious safety issues for primary and secondary school students and staff, both schools have jointly taken the decision to operate a permit controlled access barrier from 1 September 2010.
This will mean:
- Access to our school’s 3 car parks and the smaller primary school car park will only be granted through the use of a pre-issued parking permit or via a new intercom system located on our main gate;
- That the current visitors’ parking and drop off bays will remain as they are and will be strictly used for visitors parking and drop off only. These are obviously outside of the new barrier;
- Whilst we will try to avoid clamping any unauthorized vehicles, the installation of our new barrier means we will now bring into full operation our clamping policy whenever necessary.
As a consequence of the new barrier installation, traffic will undoubtedly be extra heavy on Guisborough Road and we urge parents, carers and visitors alike to think about their journeys and to liaise with their children for the safest drop off and pick up points. Primary school parents in particular are urged to use the Walking Bus already in very successful operation from St. Mary’s Church car park.
We do apologise for any inconvenience caused whilst both schools ‘bed’ this system in, but we are sure you will appreciate that the safety of our students and staff must always come first.
Parents’ Consultation and Partnership
Our Parents Steering Group (‘PSG’) and Parents Voice Group (‘PVG’) have enjoyed a great first year of operation!
Details of the excellent work that both groups are currently engaged in can be found on our website. Both groups have already made a massive difference to the continued improvement of our school and they welcome new parents/carers members at any time. Further details can be found on our website and in our ‘Parents’ A to Z’ handbook – also on our website. Come and join in – you really can make your own special difference to our school!
Have a lovely summer break and enjoy some extra time with your sons and daughters.
We look forward to another great year from September 6 2010 at 8:30 am.
Our very best wishes.
Yours sincerely
Debbie Clinton
Headteacher
- PDF – 324kb
End of Term Letter – July 2010
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