Monday 15 December 2014

Headteacher’s Blog December 2014







Dear Parents, Carers & Guardians

It has been another exciting and spectacular half-term for the arts, science, sport, community service and charity fundraising, as the news stories on the website are testimony to.

We have been working hard to ensure that students receive relevant and regulated homework set in line with the newly published homework expectations. As you will appreciate, it makes life very difficult for my teachers, together with creating an unnecessary additional work load if students fail to complete and hand in their homework. Moreover, it results in unnecessary punishment for students who fail to discharge their responsibilities. I would welcome your support in ensuring that the homework set is completed and handed in by the required date. It is also worth remembering that a student’s participation with an electronic homework can and will be checked by staff. Any failure to complete homework, electronic or otherwise, will, after one occasion being given to rectify the situation, result in a student having to undertake a punishment.

Please encourage your child (ren) to undertake some on-line learning, revision and any required catch-up work during the Christmas holidays, so that they can hit the ground running in January, together with making sure they are on track. Remember, there is no substitute for hard work!
Our new independent learning and effort rewards system ‘Selby Keys’ is bedding in well and helping students to rapidly develop the skills necessary to be a successful learner in today’s educational climate.

Your co-operation in helping to maintain the now established high standards of uniform, together with attendance and punctuality, from the outset of the Spring Term in January will be much appreciated. In this respect it is worth remembering that students should wear their blazers at all times, in addition to any school jumper or cardigan, unless instructed to do otherwise by a member of staff.  We will also continue our campaign, during 2015, to educate everyone connected with the school what bullying is and what it isn’t, together with convincing all concerned of the virtues of being a ‘telling school’.   

As winter tightens its grip may I once again remind you, that in adverse weather conditions, a decision as to whether or not to open the school will be made, at the latest, by 6.30am. If closure is necessary an announcement will then be made on BBC Radio York & Minster FM. The school’s website will also carry information about any school closure and we will tweet and SMS message you with information. Once the school is open it will remain open until the end of the day unless it becomes clear that students risk becoming stranded, because of any worsening conditions. If the school has to close we will make a decision, whenever possible, by the end of the closure day about the prospects for the following day.

As we say at Selby High School and as we look forward to 2015, it is more important that we are more successful tomorrow than we are today! 

On that note I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the staff and governors to wish you a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year! 

Paul Eckersley                                                                                                                                                                 Headteacher

Dates for next half term:

Monday 5th January -                     School re-opens
Monday 12th January -                   Year 10 Democracy Day
Monday 19th January -                   Year 7 Young Voices at Sheffield Arena
Monday 19th January -                   Ski trip Parents’ Information Evening
Wednesday 21st January -             Year 11 trip to National Media Museum
Monday 26th January -                   Year 8 Options Evening
Tuesday 27th January -                   Year 7 Enterprise Day
Monday 2nd – Friday 13th Feb -     Year 11 Mock Examinations
Thursday 5th February -                  Year 9 Parents Evening
Friday 13th February -                     Non-uniform day for House Charities
Friday 13th February -                     School closes for holidays