SEPTEMBER 2002

HEADTEACHER'S INTRODUCTION
This will be the first and briefest of our regular Newsletters home. They are a vital form of communication; there are some very important messages within these pages. I do hope that parents find a minute or two to read this and others.

We have had an excellent start to the academic year 2002-03. Year 7, all 216 of them, have quickly settled to life at Priesthorpe. A larger than expected number, due in no small part to excellent exam results, have returned to the sixth form. Our staff, too, has grown in size and we welcomed the following new teachers:

Miss E Benton Art
Mrs J Boulter History
Miss S Cowan Sociology
Miss A Farncombe Science
Mr P Freeman Geography
Miss J Graham PE
Mr A Leggott Drama
Mr A Maund Maths
Miss A Miller English
Miss R Morgan English
Mrs L Newsome Economics

Mr Longley and Mrs Moore are doing maternity covers for Mrs Carr and Mrs Mumby respectively. Mrs Mumby had a baby girl on Bank Holiday Monday and Mrs Carr had a little boy late on last term.

We have also added to our administration team. Mrs Carlton and Mrs Pickering have joined us. Mrs Henderson retired in September after 22 years at Priesthorpe. She was the school secretary and we will miss her. We wish her well for her retirement.

We have had an excellent start but we have been a little hampered by 'external' factors. Our extensive and ambitious programme of refurbishment nearly got completed in time. The tower block now looks superb from the outside and will be equally good inside. We are a little behind with laying carpets and the English and Modern Foreign Languages departments have 'suffered' room changes with good grace.

60 new computers have been added to our already extensive provision. We have added to existing computer suites, bought high-spec machines and we have now achieved the Government's target of 1 machine for every 7 students.

We have close to 1200 (students, not computers!) and we are overcrowded. We have had two new temporary rooms delivered, one for Drama and one for Maths. We are hoping for a more permanent build in the next financial year.
The rooms have taken car parking space, which brings me to the first important message.

WOULD PARENTS WHO COLLECT CHILDREN FROM THE ROCKWOODS PLEASE CONSIDER OUR NEIGHBOURS. WE MUST NOT BLOCK DRIVES AND WE MUST ALLOW EMERGENCY SERVICES ACCESS TO THE AREA. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THIS MESSAGE IS TAKEN ON BOARD, EVEN IF IT MEANS THAT YOU PARK FURTHER AWAY FROM SCHOOL. A ONE-WAY SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL. PLEASE APPROACH THE SCHOOL FROM THE LEFT AND GO AROUND THE CUL-DE-SAC TO LEAVE.

I will be asking senior staff to ensure that this is enforced.

I know that parents, especially new parents, will be delighted that Priesthorpe goes from strength to strength. Our results get better and better. I reported in the summer term that our SATS results were our best ever. The pattern was continued at both GCSE and post-16. Our sixth-formers did extremely well in the vast array of courses that are now available. A whole host of students got the grades required to go on to higher education.
It was at GCSE that we did exceptionally well. We exceeded our target of 43% of students gaining 5 or more GCSE grades at A* to C. There were some outstanding achievements. 40 students passed ALL their subjects (nine and a half) at C or better. A further 46 students got to 5 C's or better. We had more A* and A grades than we have ever had. The result is our largest ever sixth form. Over 90 decided to stay on, joining the 70 who are starting their second or third year in the sixth form.

Priesthorpe is enjoying so many positive developments. We have an excellent staff, students who are committed to doing well and parents who are supportive. May I remind parents that you are always welcome to discuss any concerns you may have with the relevant staff. All you have to do is pick up the 'phone and make an appointment. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) will be organising a 'Welcome to New Parents' evening on Wednesday 25th September at 7.00 p.m. in the Bar. You will be made most welcome. Watch out for the PTA Newsletter, which will follow shortly.

The remainder of this Newsletter will contain messages from a variety of senior staff, so do please read on. Our next Newsletter will be produced in mid October, to be distributed before half term.

Clive Pickles
Headteacher

SITE MANAGER'S REPORT
Immediately term finished contractors moved into the tower block to completely refurbish the building. Ceiling to floor double-glazing panels should ensure that the building is a much more pleasant area in which to study and work. All twelve classrooms have been redecorated and the rooms are being re-carpeted as I write.

Over the summer we have also installed new computer benches and machines into four rooms, meaning that we now have a network of over 180 PCs covering 7 computer suites.

The Youth Centre has also been refurbished and a food serving area has been added to improve the speed of lunch-time service to upper school students.

Using Sports College funding, a new drainage system for the playing fields should soon commence. Owing to increasing student numbers, extra temporary accommodation has also been installed on site and we are hopeful that next year it will be replaced by another phase of building.

As you will appreciate, all the above has taken place on top of our normal repair and maintenance work.

Mr C Hardaker
Deputy Headteacher

DIRECTOR OF SPORT'S UPDATE
We are absolutely delighted that we have achieved Specialist Sports College status.

I am acting as Director of Sport and will be responsible for implementing the Sports College plan throughout this academic year. Miss Metcalfe is now Partnership Development Manager for the School Sport Co-ordinator programme and we will be working closely together. The two initiatives mean that Priesthorpe, our partnership schools and the local community will benefit from extra funding and the chance to participate in more PE and sporting activities.

Our new status will benefit the whole school and we will keep you up to date with our achievements as the year goes by. Please contact me if you would like more information.

Mrs A Raper
Acting Director of Sport

SIXTH FORM UPDATE
As of today, Friday 6th September, we have 169 students in our biggest ever sixth form. 69 of these are in years 13, 14 and 15.

The new year 12 has a massive 97 students, showing that just over 50% of our last year 11 cohort have returned to us. We are hopeful that these students will build on our good AS, A2, AVCE and Intermediate GNVQ results.

We are continuing to use our consortium partners at Crawshaw and Grangefield to expand the choice of courses available for our students. For the first time, we have students at Park Lane and Bradford Colleges doing a few courses.

We have had two students join us from other schools and as we expand the range of courses available I am sure this number will increase over the coming years. Mrs C Bentley has joined the post-16 team to help with our administration, particularly of work experience, which is becoming more important. She will be a real asset, as sometimes the paperwork for myself or Mr Williams, Head of Sixth, can be overwhelming.

The refurbishment of the sixth form common room has been completed; it looks really good , thanks to the interior design skills of Ms Stein.

There must be a particular mention for Natasha and Natalie Mullin, who joined us from Zimbabwe last summer with no formal qualifications. In one year each of them achieved English, Maths and Science GCSEs, Intermediate GNVQ at Distinction level in Leisure and Tourism and also between them 3 excellent grades at AS level. They will do well next year and join our expanding post-Priesthorpe university population.

Mr I Hollis
Assistant Headteacher

CATERING ARRANGEMENTS UPDATE
There is now an additional serving point in the Youth Centre at lunchtime serving snack-type food for years 10 and 11.

We have maintained prices for 3 years, however, owing to increased costs we are now forced to raise our prices in the dining room. The cost of the 'Meal of the Day' (2 courses) and those receiving free lunches has risen from £1.45 to £1.50. This should give parents a guide as to the likely cost of other foods. Should parents wish to see a full price list, copies are available from the Front Office. Just ask.

Two drinking fountains have been installed. These can be found in the dining room and on the main corridor. These produce filtered water.

Mrs A Hardaker
Assistant Headteacher

CURRICULUM UPDATE
New courses, new syllabuses, new teachers - so no change there! We will be busy as usual this year in ensuring that our staff receive all the training and support they need to continue to deliver quality lessons and achieve further excellent results.

As parents, you will probably find it helpful to have early warning of our five School Training days, when we will be closed to students. We have already held one (Monday 2nd September); we have one date still to finalise. Currently arranged are the other three:
Wednesday 16th October
Monday 24th February
Monday 21st July.
I will ensure that you receive information in good time for the remaining day.

Further details will, of course, be included on later newsletters, and the
School Calendar page will be updated at regular intervals.

I hope that students in years 7, 8 and 9 have all passed on letters distributed on Wednesday 4th September giving them, and you, details of the homework timetables. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch in the first place with the head or assistant head of year.

Year 7 parents will shortly be receiving an invitation to their first parents' evening on Tuesday October 1st. This will be for meetings with the group tutor only and is really an opportunity for those of you with concerns to be able to come in and share them. If you are happy with the start that your child has made, you may be content to wait until the subject teacher parents' evening later in the year.

Can I please also ask that parents of all year groups support us in checking the Planner their daughter/son uses EACH WEEK. It should record details of homework set, messages from staff (good and not so good!) as well as reminding you of the details of the school uniform (pages 4 and 5) and the Home School Agreement (page 6).

Your daughter/son will also have the opportunity in February to record their mid-year achievement and effort progress grades on page 10, as well as produce personal targets (page 11).

There is also a section at the end of each weekly diary section where you can record comments, just above where we ask you to sign it. By developing the Planner as a two-way communication, it may help you to keep in touch with your daughter/son's progress and help us keep informed of important views and information from home.

Mrs S Bavage
Deputy Headteacher