Edgbarrow School Issue no. 65 - December 2012 www.edgbarrow.bracknell-forest.sch.uk From the Headteacher As we near the end of the Autumn term I wanted to take the opportunity to bring everybody up-to-date with what’s Our first painting and gardening day of new and what’s been happening at Edgbarrow School. this academic year was held on Saturday 29th September. Again we were very lucky with the support and time offered Well if I take you all way back to by our Mums, Dads and students, who the summer holidays I’m gave up a couple of hours on the day to delighted to report that our paint and garden. We estimate that this GCSE and A-Level results were time we probably saved the school about £3,500. just outstanding this year. At Thankfully it was a beautiful day and our gardeners, of GCSE the students achieved whom there were quite a few, did a sterling job on the 99.4% 5 A*-C or above and 79% 5 A*-C or above front large flower bed and around the front of Reception. including English and Maths. In addition to that over 24% When I showed parents around on the following Monday of our results were A* & A, in fact 174 of 179 students morning, even though it was raining, the school looked achieved 8 A*-C grades. great! As for Hill block, by the end of the day we had painted and decorated entrances, three offices, the three With regards to A-Level results, they were just fantastic. big areas and the kitchen and it is now a brilliant 99.7% of all exams taken passed A*-E, 61% of all exams environment for the students and staff to work in. Mrs taken were A* and A. Also nearly all of our students got Guy our Student Support Manager and Mrs Patel our Head their first or second place choice at university, and in fact of Progress both send their sincere thanks to everyone! 74% of our students went to Universities of their choice of Our next Painting and Decorating Day is on Saturday 2nd which 53% went to Russell Group Universities which are March 2013 so please give us a couple of hours if you can, the top universities in the country. Our Sixth Form it’s a great way to help the school. continues to develop with over 300 students and a growing reputation for high achievement and great pastoral care, advice and guidance, which I know our students appreciate. At the end of September once again the school was absolutely packed out for our Open Evenings and events for Year 6 students and parents. Throughout the term These wonderful results were the reason for our Evening we have offered a number of tours for parents and of Celebration back in September in which we had a party students and I have been so pleased and proud to hear of for our ex Year 11 and Year 13 students and their parents the wonderful comments made by families as they walk which was a very successful occasion. Unfortunately a few around the school while we are busy in lessons. They talk students were unable to attend due to an early start at of the positive atmosphere within the school and the University so this event may be held earlier in the term calm, orderly site in which students and staff seem very next year. happy. That means a lot to me and thank you to everyone for their help and support in creating such a positive and purposeful atmosphere. Fortunately the weather was excellent and once again more than 1000 students took part in the sponsored walk. Many thanks to On the last Thursday in November we all the students for walking or running the 6 held our annual Christmas Shopping miles and to the parents, families and friends Event in the Sixth Form and once again for all their support and contributions. This this was a lovely evening with lots and year so far we have raised approximately lots of stalls both from outside the £12,000 which is a wonderful achievement. school and also many run by our 1 students. The event was very well supported and very As Headteacher I am required to set out to our parents busy. Thank you to the Swing Band who once again and carers the arrangements we have with regards to performed during the evening helping to our Behaviour and Exclusion Policies which aim to: provide a lovely Christmas atmosphere · Promote good behaviour, discipline and respect and, as always, a huge thank you to the PTA · Prevent bullying for organising such a wonderful event · Regulate the conduct of students which this year raised over £2,500. The students and staff of Years 7 and 8 once It is my responsibility to promote these policies to all again ran some stalls and they raised approximately £323 parents and carers. The two policies work together and to support PTA projects. can be found on the main school website under Home → School Policies. They are reviewed annually by the Governing Body. You will also find other policies that I am delighted to inform you relate to them including the Anti Bullying Policy and the that we have received a 10 Drugs Policy. The Behaviour and Exclusion Policies also year award for our Investors acknowledge the school’s legal duties under the Equality in People status. Of course Act 2010 in respect of safeguarding and in respect of we want to be an outstanding students with Special Educational Needs (SEN). school for our students but we also want to be an out- standing school for our staff. So we are especially pleased We all work hard within the school to ensure that to achieve this status once again. behaviour is appropriate and that students feel happy and safe and know what is expected of them. To support this positive atmosphere I would encourage you to take time As the potential for poor weather to look at these policies as they help us to support the day continues, can I please remind to day running of the school. All our rewards and parents/carers that should there sanctions will be in response to these policies and it is be adverse weather conditions important that you are familiar with how they work which delay the start of school or within Edgbarrow. mean we cannot open everyone will be informed via our school website and Schoolcomms messages. It is worth Please contact the school if you are unable to access these saying it is always our intention to be open. policies online. Each year the school produces a School Development Plan Miss Rhodes joined Edgbarrow SLT in September 2002 as that is understood and followed by the staff and Governors an Assistant Head and in April 2006 she was appointed to of the school. In previous years I’m not sure that we have the post of Deputy Headteacher and it was very clear to shared the essence of this plan with parents and carers. In all of us that she would, in her own time, become a an effort to give you some understanding of where our Headteacher. So it comes as no surprise that she is focus will be this year I thought I would include this item in leaving Edgbarrow to take up her new post as the Newsletter. Headteacher of St Crispin’s School, in Wokingham. We are all absolutely delighted for her; and we know that she Our School Development Plan this year focuses on the will make the most fantastic Headteacher and that our quality of teaching and learning and in particular working loss is their gain. Miss Rhodes should be congratulated hard to deliver good and outstanding lessons for our and truly thanked for the time and effort she has put in to students. Therefore the title is Teaching and Learning, our school. She has given her heart and soul to Consistently Outstanding. Edgbarrow and there is no doubt that we are the better for it. She leaves with our very best wishes and I have no This year, as a staff we are working hard to provide good doubt that we will not only stay in touch but now start to quality marking and feedback that informs the students of forge some positive working relationships with St where they are with their learning. We are conducting a Crispin’s. number of training sessions on how to develop independent learning within the classroom and working We are used to teachers having a huge with middle leaders in an effort to help them to develop impact on their classes and the school but the quality of teaching within their departments Brenda Metcalf as a support member of staff, who has been at this school for over 20 years, has had enormous impact on The good conduct and behaviour of the students is very Edgbarrow. As our Financial Administrator important within our school and in partnership with good she has fully participated in helping us to quality leadership and teaching enables students to enjoy improve and develop as a school. Not only has she had school and achieve their best. Creating a safe, happy a hand in developing procedures and systems that have working relationship within a school is really important to helped our office and teaching staff and ultimately the me. children, but she is also the type of person who has 2 supported the PTA and the raising of money.