Congratulations to our U15s Boys Rugby Team who are through to the last 16 of the national cup after beating Kings Williams College 18-17 with a last play penalty kick on Tuesday! Our next fixture will be at home and is scheduled for after Christmas with more details to follow should anyone wish to come and watch. Thanks to Mr Short and Mr Rhodes for taking our students to Leeds for the fixture.

Food Bank Collection – Thursday 9 December

Christmas Jumper Day – Thursday 16 December

Christmas Lunch – Thursday 16 December

End of Term – Friday 17 December.  School will open on Wednesday 5 January 2022

The letter issued to students, parents & carers can be read in full here

Huge congratulations to our Cross Country team who came third in the English Schools Athletic Association National Finals in Newquay at the weekend.

(From right to left) Liam Roche, James Tilly, Matthew Walton, Will de Vere Owen, Ryan Davies and Bertie Marr put in a fantastic effort in dreadful conditions to secure their place. Well done to all and thank you to their parents for their support.

You will have seen on the news over the weekend that in response to the Omicron variant there have been a number of changes to COVID measures. I would like to confirm the implications of these changes for our school. For your information, we currently have 5 positive cases in school.

Where a family member has tested positive for COVID we advise that all household members should arrange a PCR test and undertake a daily LFD test. This is so that any subsequent positive cases can be quickly picked up and for self isolation to begin as soon as possible. We will continue to distribute test kits as needed.

All contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of a person’s vaccination status. This may once again have serious implications for students’ attendance in school which is why the above measures are critical to maintain the best attendance of staff and students possible.

The letter issued to Parents/Carers can be read in full here.

I write to draw your attention to the fact that this week is Anti-bullying week. The week is organised by the Anti-bullying Alliance. Further information can be found at this link, including some useful information for parents and carers. The theme this year is One Kind Word. We are delighted that this is the theme, as we have spent a lot of time in recent months celebrating and encouraging acts of kindness within our community. 

Throughout the course of the week, we are holding the following events;

1. Nominate a student or member of staff for a Kindness award. If any parents would like to nominate a student or member of staff, please complete this form by Friday 19 November.
2. Odd Socks day on Friday 19 November – Students can wear odd socks on this day. A voluntary contribution of £1 would be appreciated, as this will be donated to the various charity projects being organised by our Prince’s Trust students in Year 10.
3. Anti-bullying assemblies including the use of resources provided by the Anti-bullying alliance.

To read the letter in full, please click here

Reverend Paul Rusby led our Remembrance Service on Tuesday.  Year 9 form representatives were in attendance and our Senior Students laid wreaths on behalf of the school, the Edwardian’s Association and the Foundation Governors in remembrance and tribute to all who suffered or died in war.

In World War One, 58 Old Boys and one member of staff paid the supreme sacrifice. Most of them found their last place of rest far from home: in Belgium, in France, in Gallipoli, in Poland, at sea; many of them have no known graves.

In the Second World War, by a strange coincidence, yet another 58 Old Boys perished in War – this time together with two members of staff. Only a few of them are buried in the UK. The remainder lie in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, in Iceland and Italy, in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, in Burma and in Singapore. Again, many have no known grave but the sea.

In the Korean War of 1953, one Old Boy was killed while fighting for the United Nations in the cause of world peace.

In gratitude for the service and sacrifice of all these young men – their average age was only 24 – Harrison Epworth took the reading and Mr Tedder read The Pride of the Poppy.

From Monday 1 November we will be implementing the following additional measures in school, in line with the advice from NCC: 

Testing for household contacts: Where a family member has tested positive for COVID we will be advising that all household members should arrange a PCR test and undertake a daily LFD test. This is so that any subsequent positive cases can be quickly picked up and for self isolation to begin as soon as possible. School will continue to distribute test kits as needed. 

Face coverings: All staff, and students will be advised and encouraged to wear a face covering in communal areas of school including corridors and halls. We would appreciate it if you can provide your child with an appropriate face covering for their return to school after half term. 

Reducing mixing: We already have a timetable structure which minimises the amount of movement and mixing that happens during the school day. We will continue to monitor this and make further adjustments should we feel that this is required. 

The letter issued on 29 October, can be read in full here