Headteacher’s Blog - February 2015
This
half-term has flown by with lots 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 success, 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 26th March is even
shorter, but it will be just as hectic and jam packed with good news stories!
Hot
on the heels of their recent success at the North Yorkshire Schools’ Student
Conference, held at Northallerton, I am currently working with both the
President and Vice President of the Student Council to further develop the
communication links.
Once again, our
Year 11 leavers have purchased a specially designed Leavers 2015 hoodie. The
hoodie will be allowed to be worn in place of their blazer with effect from
Monday 23rd February 2015.
Congratulations
to all the participants in this year’s Talent Shows. Once again the standard
was incredibly high, which made it an extremely hard decision for the judges.
Please see the school website for a full article.
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.
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 it is the key to success!
As you will be aware Selby High School is part of the British
Council’s Connecting Classrooms Project. A number of our staff have both
visited our partnership school in Zambia and then hosted colleagues from Zambia
on their return visits. Connecting Classrooms provides teachers and,
in turn, students with a deeper understanding of:
- other countries and cultures
- their rights and responsibilities as global citizens
- the skills needed to work in a global economy and build a fairer, more sustainable world
- gaining understanding of other countries' education systems
- being better equipped to teach about global issues.
One of the schools Deputy Headteachers, Mrs Carter-Mills,
has just embarked on a ten day visit to Zambia, so why not keep up to date with
her experiences via our Twitter feed. Whilst she will be coping with
temperatures of over thirty degrees, the picture here at home is a little
different.
With the sub-zero
temperatures we are currently experiencing and the possibility of more snow on
the way, 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.
With regard to
SMS messaging, we are using this method of communication more and more in our
daily work with parents, carers and guardians. This is a quick and reliable
means of providing you with information as it goes directly to one’s mobile
phone. Obviously, we will continue to utilise telephone conversations, face to
face meetings, emails and letters, but for certain information the efficiency
of SMS is excellent.
Important
Future Dates
- Monday 23rd February School re-opens
- Wednesday 25th February Year 11 Driving Assembly
- Thursday 25th February KS3 trip to Leeds Rhinos
- Monday 2nd March Year 10 Maths Feast
- Tuesday 3rd March Year 9 Enterprise Day
- Monday 9th March Year 8 girls’ HPV vaccinations
- Friday 13th March Non-uniform day for Comic Relief
- Tuesday 17th March 7pm Year 7 Camp Parents’ Information Evening
- Wednesday 25th March 7.30pm Year 7 Support with ICT Evening
- Thursday 26th March School closes for holidays
- Friday 27th March Training Day – school closed to students
