19th July 2022

Moving Up Letter Year 8 to 9

Moving up letter – Year 8 to Year 9

Dear Parent/Carer

This year has flown by and we have been really proud of the way in which Year 8 have settled in to what has been their first full year in a school building for two years!

Our expectations remain high and as such, I wanted to write to you to outline what students can expect when they are in Year 9.  Through years 7 and 8 students have faced many challenges, both forced upon them through COVID and readily accepted through the range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities students have chosen to participate in.  These experiences have given our year 8 students a skill set and resilience that compliments their academic progress and sets them up in great place to move into year 9.  In year 9 students will need to adapt to the increasing demands placed upon them as they move towards choosing their GCSE options.  The options process will be in the spring term, but students need to begin their build up far in advance.  This will involve elevating the standards they have in lesson and with their independent study at home as well as demonstrating the curiosity in their immediate and longer-term future.  More information will follow during the year to ensure that everyone is up to speed with the options process.

Of course, we maintain the same standards for uniform moving in to Year 9. 

A reminder of the uniform policy is contained below. Can I ask that you pay particular attention to the information related to piercings, jewellery and trainers. 

The health and safety of your child is our priority in Physical Education (PE). To ensure that all children can safely participate in physical activity and sport, nose piercings of any type are prohibited. As their parent/ guardian or carer if you decide to allow your child to have a nose piercing the healing time is 6 weeks. Therefore, your child will not be able to participate in their Core PE lesson for the during of this time whilst the stud is unable to be removed.  

Consequently, your child will be placed in isolation for the duration of their PE lesson and will also receive a 1-hour head of school detention each week for 6 weeks.  

Following the healing period, if your child refuses to remove the piercing for their PE lesson, they will be placed in isolation for the duration of their PE lesson and in addition, will also receive a 2-hour after school detention that week. These sanctions will continue until the nose piercing is removed.

Students should only wear one single pair of studs in their ears.  

Students should not wear trainers to school. I know that it can be tricky to buy school shoes sometimes as shops do sell shoes which claim to be school shoes, but are actually trainers. For ease to ensure the policy is followed, we do not allow any sport brand trainers (even if the shop does classify them as school shoes).  

As has been the case previously, we expect all students to bring a pen, pencil and ruler to school and will continue running our equipment shop each morning for those who forget. We would now like to make sure that all students bring a pencil case to school each day, as well as a bag which is large enough to fit an A4 folder inside.   

Final day of term – Friday 22nd July 2022 

First day back – Tuesday 6th September 2022 at 9am

I wish you a happy, healthy summer and look forward to welcoming your child back in September 2022. 

Yours faithfully 

Mr Kirkby