Dear Parents, Carers and Guardians,
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. The next half term, before we break for Easter on the 7th April is even shorter, but it will be just as hectic and jam packed with good news stories.
The targets we have set our 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 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!
Talking about working hard, I have some staff news. Mrs Fielden (Science) went on maternity leave at the end of January 2017 and Mrs Mackey (Science) and Mrs Stephenson (Music) will begin their respective maternity leaves on 10th March 2017. Miss Fletcher has joined the science department in place of Mrs Fielden. We are looking forward to welcoming Miss Brigg & Mrs Pickering back from maternity leave on 6th March 2017. With Mrs Pickering’s return we are saying good bye to Miss Martin who has been covering for her during her maternity leave. In addition, Mr Naveed (ICT & Business Studies) left the school at the end of January in order to take his career in a new direction. We wish them both all the very best for the future.
The interviews for my successor will be held on Wednesday 22nd March and Thursday 23rd March 2017. I am sure the Chair of Governors will inform you of the outcome of that process in due course, before my departure on the 7th April 2017.
Immediately after half term, we will be moving into the £1.1m ‘Eckersley Centre’. In addition, to the fantastic new changing facilities, we will have the use of six new state of the art teaching spaces; three of these spaces will be occupied by geography, two by physical education and the final one by English. We have also been able to re-allocate a number of teaching spaces, which in turn will ease the pressure on the timetable and movement around the school. Following the handover process from the contractors, which takes place during the half term break, I will arrange for some photographs of the new building to be posted on the school’s website and tweeted out to you, so that you can see them for yourselves.
In my December Blog, I told you about how much money we have collectively raised during the last 14 years. That figure has now gone past £66k and we received an exciting letter from ‘Comic Relief’, whereby they identified Selby High as one of their leading school money raisers. This notification came hard on the heels of similar news from the BBC Children In Need team. This is a fabulous double accolade and one everyone connected with the school should be justifiably proud of!
Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Talent Show. The theme this year was super heroes and, once again, the standard was incredibly high, which made it an extremely hard decision for the judges. The Lower School winner was a group of Year 8 girls; Charlotte Armstrong, Emily Hanks, Rachael Hanks and Harriet Leetham with Nicola Klimkowska a very close second. The Upper School winner was Daniel Toone with Matthew Stephenson as the runner-up.
Given that we have experienced some sub-zero temperatures of late, 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.
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. The next half term, before we break for Easter on the 7th April is even shorter, but it will be just as hectic and jam packed with good news stories.
The targets we have set our 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 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!
Talking about working hard, I have some staff news. Mrs Fielden (Science) went on maternity leave at the end of January 2017 and Mrs Mackey (Science) and Mrs Stephenson (Music) will begin their respective maternity leaves on 10th March 2017. Miss Fletcher has joined the science department in place of Mrs Fielden. We are looking forward to welcoming Miss Brigg & Mrs Pickering back from maternity leave on 6th March 2017. With Mrs Pickering’s return we are saying good bye to Miss Martin who has been covering for her during her maternity leave. In addition, Mr Naveed (ICT & Business Studies) left the school at the end of January in order to take his career in a new direction. We wish them both all the very best for the future.
The interviews for my successor will be held on Wednesday 22nd March and Thursday 23rd March 2017. I am sure the Chair of Governors will inform you of the outcome of that process in due course, before my departure on the 7th April 2017.
Immediately after half term, we will be moving into the £1.1m ‘Eckersley Centre’. In addition, to the fantastic new changing facilities, we will have the use of six new state of the art teaching spaces; three of these spaces will be occupied by geography, two by physical education and the final one by English. We have also been able to re-allocate a number of teaching spaces, which in turn will ease the pressure on the timetable and movement around the school. Following the handover process from the contractors, which takes place during the half term break, I will arrange for some photographs of the new building to be posted on the school’s website and tweeted out to you, so that you can see them for yourselves.
In my December Blog, I told you about how much money we have collectively raised during the last 14 years. That figure has now gone past £66k and we received an exciting letter from ‘Comic Relief’, whereby they identified Selby High as one of their leading school money raisers. This notification came hard on the heels of similar news from the BBC Children In Need team. This is a fabulous double accolade and one everyone connected with the school should be justifiably proud of!
Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Talent Show. The theme this year was super heroes and, once again, the standard was incredibly high, which made it an extremely hard decision for the judges. The Lower School winner was a group of Year 8 girls; Charlotte Armstrong, Emily Hanks, Rachael Hanks and Harriet Leetham with Nicola Klimkowska a very close second. The Upper School winner was Daniel Toone with Matthew Stephenson as the runner-up.
Given that we have experienced some sub-zero temperatures of late, 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.
Important Dates for Your Diary
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Monday 27th February
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School re-opens
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Tuesday 28th February
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Year 7 YPAA Day
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Wednesday 1st March
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Shakespeare Company working with Year 11
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Thursday 2nd March
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Recital & afternoon teas
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Monday 6th March
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Year 8 Options Launch - Assembly
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Tuesday 7th March
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Year 10 Science Live trip
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Wednesday 8th March
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Year 8 Enterprise Day
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Wednesday 8th March
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Year 8 Options Evening
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Monday 13th March
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Artsmark Discovery Day
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Tuesday 14th March
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Year 10 Inside Out
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Wednesday 15th March
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Year 11 Drivewise presentation
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Thursday 23rd March
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Romeo & Juliet trip
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Friday 24th March
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Non-uniform day for Comic Relief
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Tuesday 28th March
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Year 8 Technology Day
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Wednesday 29th March
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Year 9 School Leavers injections
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Monday 3rd April
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Media trip to BBC
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Tuesday 4th April
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Author workshop in English
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Friday 7th April
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School closes for holidays
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Best wishes
Paul Eckersley
Principal
