Headteacher’s Blog - May 2016

It has been an incredibly busy, but hugely rewarding half-term. The news stories on our Twitter feed and website www.selbyhigh.co.uk are a fantastic testimony to the tremendous range of opportunities that are available to our students, both locally and nationally; thereby developing and enhancing their social, moral, spiritual and cultural well-being. I would like to thank you for the on-going support you provide in order to ensure that our students, your child(ren) can engage with these activities. 

We continue to work relentlessly to drive up standards and improve the accommodation and resources. During the half-term holiday and summer vacation, we will also be continuing with our refurbishment and maintenance programmes. The really exciting news is that the construction of the extension to the sports hall will begin on the 1st June 2016. This will provide modern high quality, and accessible male and female changing facilities; four new classrooms; additional office space; a viewing gallery into the sports hall and two additional teaching spaces re-developed from the old changing rooms. One of those teaching spaces will be a new fitness room. In addition, amongst other things, we are hoping to establish Selby’s very own wheelchair sports centre.

We are equally excited about welcoming a maximum intake into the school in September for the ninth consecutive year as more and more people want to take advantage of the exciting opportunities and excellent education Selby High School provides.

Once again, I am seeking your continued help in ensuring that your child is wearing the correct uniform, including their House tie. If we experience a heat-wave we will of course issue separate daily instructions in respect of wearing blazers and ties. It is also important that students bring the right equipment to all lessons. It is vital, as you will appreciate, that students continue to approach their studies with the correct focus, attitude and determination to achieve at the highest level and aim for excellence in all that they do.

Watch this space for details of the new uniform vouchers and images of the school’s new corporate identity.

Every student’s aim should be to become a Selby 4 Key student. Talking of which, we are hoping to take 440 students on an all-expenses paid trip to Flamingo Land on 18h July 2016, to celebrate collecting 10 Keys (mean of keys over 3 trackers) for year 7 to year 9 students and 13.3 keys over 4 trackers for Year 10 students, together with putting on a free film show for over 397 students collecting 8-9 Keys (mean of keys over 3 trackers). Currently, 93% of students are currently either a 3 Key or 4 Key students with 49% being 4 Key students. This is a tremendous achievement with over a third more students qualifying for this award; thank you for all that you do in ensuring your child(ren) put the maximum commitment and application into their studies; there is no substitute for hard work!

Furthermore, I welcome your support in ensuring your child(ren) eats healthily with regard to their breakfast; break-time snacks and lunch. A young person’s diet has such an impact on their ability to concentrate and study, therefore, this is something we cannot leave to chance! In addition, I should be grateful if you would spend a few minutes reiterating the need for staying safe on their journey to and from school, together with upholding the school’s image on those journeys. We will be holding a series of information sessions, week beginning 13th June 2016, with regard to ‘Road Safety’, expectations and reputation.


Staffing Update for Parents, Carers and Guardians

Since my last Blog the following members of staff will either be joining Selby High School in the next few weeks or have been promoted internally:

Mr Chris Daniel will be joining the staff as the new ICT Technician as from the 1st July 2016. He is currently undertaking a very similar role at St. Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate.

With immediate effect and for at least 12 months in the first instance, Mr Simeon Birchall (science teacher) will be the new whole school ITT (Initial Teacher Training) Co-ordinator and Mrs Sarah Wardell (Assistant AIM Co-ordinator and Former ITT Co-ordinator) will be the Head of the new E.Bacc. Faculty (Geography, History, RE, MFL, Sociology).

I’m sure you will want to join me in wishing them all every success in their new jobs.

Watch this space for my end of term Staffing Update, which will provide details of all the staff changes for September 2016.

Paul Eckersley

Headteacher


Important Dates for Your Diary

Monday 6th June	School re-opens after half-term
Monday 6th – Friday 10th June	Year 8 residential visit to Bewerley Park
Monday 13th June 6pm	Spelling Bee final at Barlby High School
Wednesday 15th June	Year 8 More Able Challenge Day
	Year 9 photography shoot at Selby Abbey
Thursday 16th June	Year 8 Holocaust trip
Friday 17th June	Form robot event
	Year 7 Maths Roadshow
	Year 9 photography shoot at Selby Abbey
Monday 21st & Tuesday 22nd June	Carnegie Challenge at Selby College
Thursday 23rd June	Eurofest final
Friday 24th June	Year 9 Enterprise Day
Friday 24th – Sunday 26th June	Duke of Edinburgh Weekend
Tuesday 28th June	Year 10 trip to Fountains Abbey
Wednesday 29th June	Year 11 Prom
Thursday 30th June	Year 10 trip to Fountains Abbey
Monday 4th July	Year 7 trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Monday 4th – Friday 8th July	Activities Week and Year 10 Work Experience, Paris and Barcelona trips
Tuesday 5th – Friday 8th July	Year 7 Camp
Monday 11th July	Prison Me No Way (provisional date)
Tuesday 12th July	Year 6 Induction Day and Parents Evening
Wednesday 13th July	Year 10 More Able STEM Day
Thursday 14th July	Consultation Day
Friday 15th July	Sports Day
Monday 18th July	Selby Keys Film and Rewards Day
Wednesday 20th July	Reserve Sports Day (in case of bad weather)
Friday 22nd July	Whole School Assembly, school closes for holidays

 

Headteacher’s Blog - March 2016

It has been a short but immensely exciting half term; so many activities and events in only 5 weeks!

• Raising Aspirations event for Year 8
• Year 9 & 10 trip to the theatre
• Year 11 Spanish Master class at Selby College
• Year 8 Enterprise day
• Trip to Manchester Arena to be part of the Young Voices Event
• BBC School reporters live on Radio York
• Year 9 STEMNET talk
• GCSE Science Live trip
• Performances by Hardwicke Circus
• Year 9 trip to Belgium
• Year 11 visit to the University Of Cambridge
• National VEX IQ Robot Competition
• Selby Seeds girls go to the Big Bang Fair 

We have also had numerous other school based activities including Selby High School’s Great British Bake Off, Sports Relief Mile and Readathon. Photographs for all of these events can be found on our website and if you would like to keep up to date with all SHS events why not follow us on Twitter.

When we return after Easter our Year 11 students will only have 22 school days before the first GCSE exam.  Therefore, it is vital that they use the Easter holidays wisely and begin revising for their forthcoming exams.  Staff will continue to support Year 11 students both in class and by offering lunchtime and after school revision opportunities. It is up to each and every one of our Year 11 students to show their commitment to achieving their true potential and this can only be achieved through hard work and effort. 

All students have received an exam timetable detailing exactly which exams they are entered for and when those exams are.  Miss Johnson (Associate Assistant Headteacher) will be able to help with any queries about Year 11 exams.  

When we return from the holiday the Year 11 students will receive a copy of the supported study programme which will run until the end of June.  The programme will include revision and booster session details together with any weekend or holiday intervention opportunities. 

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure”. (Colin Powell)

School is not just about academic success, it is about taking advantage of all the opportunities that are available and next term is full of more amazing activities for all of our students; trips abroad, work experience, Year 7 camp, Wildlife Park trip, Holocaust Museum visit, Activities Week and many more.   We have a range of both lunchtime and afterschool clubs that students can participate in, we also have homework club that runs 4 nights a week.

Finally I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank both students and parents/carers for all the support that they have shown me over the past 5 weeks in my new role as Acting Headteacher.  I am immensely proud to be part of Selby High School and to watch our students achieve success on a daily basis.

Joanne Carter-Mills
Acting Headteacher

Important Future Dates

Monday 11^th April                            Training Day – School closed to students

Tuesday 12^th April                            School re-opens

Tuesday 12^th April –

Friday 22^nd April                               Year 10 Mock Examinations

Thursday 14^th April                          Drama trip to SLP College

Thursday 21^st April                           Year 9 More Able visit to York University

Thursday 21^st April                           7pm Inter-House Music Competition

Thursday 28^th April                          Junior Maths Challenge

Thursday 28^th April                          5pm Year 9 Parents’/Carers’/Guardians’ Consultation Evening

Monday 2^nd May                              Early May Bank Holiday – School closed

Tuesday 3^rd May                               School re-opens

Friday 6^th May                                   Year 11 Final Assembly

Friday 13^th May –

Sunday 15^th May                              Duke of Edinburgh Practice Weekend

Monday 16^th May                            Summer examinations begin

Wednesday 25^th May                     Year 10 More Able visit to Leeds University

Friday 27^th May                                 School closes for holidays

Headteacher’s Blog - February 2016

This half-term has flown by with a tremendous number of achievements to celebrate which tells the story of what has been a short, but highly rewarding and exciting half term. I hope you enjoyed reading about our successes, on the website and through our Twitter feed, as much as we did creating it!

The next half-term, before we break for Easter on the 24^th March is even shorter, but it will be just as hectic and jam packed with good news stories! Once again, our Year 11 leavers have purchased a specially designed leavers’ hoodie. The hoodie is allowed to be worn in place of their blazer. An additional feature of the 2016 hoodie is that each student has their initials embroidered on the front.

Hot on the heels of our students’ recent success at the North Yorkshire Schools’ Student Conference, I am delighted to announce that the school is one of only 41 nationally that has been awarded a Discovering Democracy Award. The school will be presented with the award, by John Penrose MP, at a special ceremony in London immediately after half-term.

Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Talent Show. Once again the standard was incredibly high, which made it an extremely hard decision for the judges. The Lower School winner was Kate Hinken with Talia Firth as the Upper School, and overall winner.

The targets we have set our Year 9 & 11 students in respect of this summer’s GCSE results, whilst challenging, are achievable given the level of support that is available here at school and at home from yourselves. Please encourage your child (ren) to undertake some revision/on-line learning and any required catch-up work during the half-term break. It is essential that students realise the level of commitment that is now required from them at this stage of their school career. Those students in their last year at Selby High School, that is Year 11 students, should be undertaking a minimum of twelve hours’ home study per week and beginning to make the social sacrifices which are necessary for success and which in turn will provide choices and chances!

This commitment should also be extended to ensure that they turn up for scheduled booster and intervention sessions that are taking place both after school and during the supported study programme from now until the end of June, some of which takes place at weekends and in the school holidays.

Remember, there is no substitute for hard work and, without doubt, it is the key to success!

As we proceed through the amalgamation consultation, it is obviously necessary to plan for either of the two possible outcomes. Mrs Carter-Mills has, therefore, assumed the role of Acting Headteacher, for the foreseeable future, in order to allow me to undertake work for the joint Governors’ Steering Group. I know that you will give her the same level of support that you have afforded me. In addition, Mr D Block will be assuming some additional responsibilities as Acting Associate Assistant Headteacher, supporting the work of the behaviour and safeguarding team.

Given that we have experienced some sub-zero temperatures of late, may I remind you that either in the event of adverse weather conditions or indeed any other emergency a decision as to whether or not to open the school will be made, at the latest, by 6.40am. If closure is necessary, an announcement will then be made on BBC Radio York & Minster FM. The school’s website will be updated about any school closure, together with utilising Twitter and SMS messaging services.

Important Future Dates

Monday 22^nd February                        School re-opens
Tuesday 23^rd – Thursday 25^th   
February                                               Years 9 & 10 school meningitis injections

Friday 26^th February                            More Able visit to Cambridge University

Monday 29^th February                       Young Voices at Manchester Arena

Wednesday 2^nd March                        Years 9 & 10 meningitis injections

Tuesday 8^th March                              Year 8 Enterprise Day

Thursday 10^th March                           Year 9 Parents/Carers/Guardians Consultation Evening

Monday 14^th March                            Year 7 Camp Information Evening

Wednesday 16^th March                       ‘The 39 Steps’ Theatre visit

Tuesday 22^nd March                            Year 10 Parents/Carers/Guardians Consultation Evening

Thursday 24^th March                           Year 11 mock results assembly

Thursday 24^th March                           School closes for holidays

Headteacher’s Staffing Blog – Jan 2016

Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians

Our new D&T Technician and Premises Officer, Andrew Watson, will be taking up his post within the next 10 days. David Cooke, our new General Student Support Mentor (GSSM) & Literacy Student Support Mentor (SSM), Claire Dugher (GSSM) and Caroline Coates (GSSM, two terms temporary initially) took up their posts on 4^th January 2016. In addition, Sarah Carmichael (GSSM) takes up her post, on the 18^th January 2016, on the same arrangement, until September 2016 as maternity leave cover for Miss Amy Ridley. Miss Sarah Tasker-Lynch is becoming a full-time Advanced Student Support Mentor (ASSM).

As you will be aware, on 16^th December 2015 the Local Authority (LA) announced that they would be consulting on the closure of Brayton High School and the enlargement of Selby High School. At the same time the LA asked myself and the Governors if we could provide some interim support for Brayton High School, because the Headteacher has been absent since October and the Deputy Headteacher has just secured another deputy headteacher’s post at Temple Moor High School in Leeds. As a result of that request, Mr Lewis and Mrs Lumb will be seconded to Brayton, for the foreseeable future, in order to lead and manage the school. In turn, we have made the following acting internal promotions to cover for those secondments:

Mr Cousins and Mr Sinclair will become acting Deputy Headteachers with Miss Gorton and Miss Smith becoming acting Assistant Headteachers.  Mrs Wardell and Miss Johnson will continue in their substantive roles of Associate Assistant Headteachers. 

In addition, Miss Crawford will be undertaking the National Award for SEN Coordination (NASENCO) and Mrs Thornton will become an ASSM, following Mrs Cawkwell’s secondment to the Personalised Student Support Mentoring team.

We have re-engaged the services of Miss Holt (PE and dance teacher, who was due to leave us as a result of the return of Miss Johnson from maternity leave) both on a full-time basis and over and above our normal staffing requirement. This enhanced staffing will enable some staff taking on additional responsibilities to be afforded varying amounts of additional non-contact time (NCT). This is so they can support both students, including in option subjects, staff and the work being undertaken at Brayton High School.

Other ‘staffing and ‘operational changes’ may be required as situations develop and unfold. I will obviously keep you up to date with any changes as and when they become necessary.

I am sure you would like to join me in sending your best wishes to all those staff who are taking on new challenges, roles and responsibilities.

With kind regards.

P.M.Eckersley

Paul Eckersley

Headteacher

Headteacher's Blog - December 2015

Dear Parents, Carers & Guardians,

It has been another exciting and spectacular half-term in respect of students excelling in the arts, science, sport, community service and charity fundraising. The news stories on the website and Twitter feeds are a testimony to our continued success.

Please encourage your child(ren) to undertake some on-line learning, revision (mock examinations for students in Year 11, start straight after Christmas on Monday 4^th January 2016), together with any required catch-up work during the Christmas holidays, so that everyone can hit the ground running in January. Remember, there is no substitute for hard work!

Talking about hard work, our independent learning and effort rewards system ‘Selby Keys’ continues to go from strength to strength, thereby helping our 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 be continuing our campaign, during 2016, 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’.   

At the end of this term we will be saying goodbye to Miss Donna Brown (GSSM) who is taking up a similar post, nearer home, at the Snaith School; Mr Peter Griffin (English teacher) who is moving to Cheshire and has secured a new post at a school in St Helens and Mr Paul Austin-Clarke (D&T Technician) who will be retiring after seven and half years’ service at the school. Miss Amy Ridley (ASSM) and Mrs Naomi Sellars (mathematics teacher) will be starting maternity leave. Mrs Cadence Knights (mathematics HLTA) started her maternity leave at the end of November, together with Miss Cant (CAL for Music). We are pleased to have secured the services of two mathematics teachers, Mr Chris Powell and Mr Chris Johnson, to cover the required time in mathematics and Miss Anne Todd to teach music. In addition, our new School Social Worker, Miss Jane Holman took up her post on 23^rd November 2015. Mr Heath Lanzillotti (CAL for music technology) will take on the additional CAL role for music as a whole.

In January, we will be welcoming Mrs Helen Metcalfe to the school as our new KS3 English Progress Co-ordinator and Miss Hannah Gibson the new combined CAL for PSHEE&C and RE.  

I should like to take this opportunity to remind you, that in the advent of 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 day in question, about the prospects for the following day.

Finally, I appreciate that Leeds Road is extremely busy. I would however, ask you to be mindful of the fact that we are situated in a residential area, and to be considerate to our neighbours when parking, especially if you find yourself blocking their driveway.

As we say at Selby High School, and as we look forward to 2016, it is more important that we are more successful tomorrow than perhaps we have been today! So we are looking forward to an excellent and outstanding 2016.

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

P.S. I am looking forward to seeing all the parents, carers’ and guardians of students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 at the Consultation Day on Monday 14^th December 2015.

Important Dates for Your Diary

Monday 4^th January                        School re-opens

Monday 4^th January –                     Year 11 mock examinations

Friday 15^th January

Wednesday 20^th January               Year 7 & 8 Theatre-in-Education (pm)

Thursday 21^st January                     Year 7 Faraday Challenge day

Thursday 4^th February –                Year 11 Astronomy trip to Kielder

Friday 5^th February

Tuesday 9^th February                      Year 11 Targeted Evening

Thursday 11^th February                  Final of the Inter-House Music Competition

Thursday 11^th February                  School closes for holidays

Friday 12^th February                        Training Day – school closed to students