Newsletter Edgbarrow School Issue no. 68 - December 2013 www.edgbarrow.bracknell-forest.sch.uk From the Headteacher As we come to the end of our first term it would be good to bring everybody up-to-date with what’s new We were delighted with our A Level examination and what’s been happening at Edgbarrow School. results and they are as follows: · This year 135 students sat exams · 100% pass rate A*-E Our examination results across the board were once · 70% achieved A*- B grades again hugely pleasing. Our KS4 results were excellent · 89% achieved A*-C grades and our A2 results were fantastic. The following infor- · 91% of all BTECs taken achieved distinction and mation shows the highlights of each Key Stage. distinction star For further information 3 students went to Oxford This year our results were excellent, and with regard to University. 53% of students who went on to Higher our 5 A* - C, are for the fourth year in a row the best Education are at Russell Group Universities. Of the the school has ever achieved. Please find below some remaining students, 20 are either working or on ap- highlight figures: prenticeships and 17 are on a gap year or seeking · 100% of our students achieved 5 or more A*-C employment. grades. · 89% of our students achieved 5 or more A* -C As a school we should be very proud of this year’s including Maths and English. examination results; once again many congratulations · 47% of our students achieved 3 or more A*-A to the students, staff, parents and Governors for such grades. a great team effort. · 100% of our students gained 5 A* - G grades which shows that we are doing our very best for all of our students. Over the last two years we have moved our Evening · 34% of our students achieved the EBacc (English, of Celebration for our exam results to mid- Maths, 2 Science, Humanities and a Language) September. The reason for this is twofold, everybody is still excited over their results and also our Upper We should be very proud of these results, especially Sixth students have not yet left to go to University. when we look at how well students performed in Maths with 92% and English (Lang) with 93% A* - C. One of This year’s summer results were a great reason to the things that we now do very well is to ensure that: celebrate and we were delighted to see so many 1. No student achieves a C in English and Maths and families join us for the evening. This is an informal does not gain 5 A*-C occasion and more like a party with only a few short 2. We use our data to ensure as few students as speeches and presentations so that everybody can possible gain a C in Maths but not in English or vice take time to catch up with friends. Once again our versa. Last summer 4 students got Maths but not warmest congratulations to everybody involved and English and 6 students got English but not Maths. thanks to the Sixth Form team for organising the event. 3. This year we have not only concentrated on the 5 A*-C or more but also on 8 A*-C or more and I can report that 175 out of 179 students achieved The Sponsored Walk was once again a huge success 8 A*-C. This is not only outstanding but shows this year and we raised over £12,300. A huge thanks that we care about every individual student to the members of the PTA and the Mums and Dads again ran some stalls who came in to help us during the afternoon and a to support PTA massive thanks to all the families for their support in projects and I know raising the money. Well done to all the students who that the parents of either ran or walked the course, I hope everybody had our Year 7 and 8 an enjoyable afternoon walking in the sun. students would have helped the students to organise cake On Saturday 28th September we organised our first making or purchasing painting and gardening day of the year. We have been of sweets etc. prior to the event, so thank you. so lucky with the support and time offered by our Mums, Dads and students, who give up a couple of hours on a Saturday to paint or garden, and this was no Each year the school produces a School Development exception. Plan that is understood and followed by the staff and I think the Art Department Governors of the school. In previous years I’m not was the toughest area we’ve sure that we have shared the essence of this plan with had to clean and paint since parents and carers. In an effort to give you some I have been here. Our hard understanding of where our focus will be this year I work probably saved the thought I would include this item in the Newsletter. school £2,500 and cleaned up an area that hasn’t had any Our School Development Plan this year focuses once proper attention since I arrived fourteen years ago. again on the quality of teaching and learning in the Mrs Walton our new Head of Art was also with us on classroom particularly: the day and was delighted with the progress we made. · Ensuring good quality feedback for students A huge thanks to everybody who was involved. If you through marking. can help us after Christmas our next Painting & Garden- · Strategies for supporting A and A* students. ing Day is on Saturday 1st March, 2014. · Quality of teaching Relevant curriculum changes for all learners. At the end of September once again the school was absolutely packed out for our Open Evenings and events Please forgive me but this is the usual plea regarding for Year 6 students and parents. Throughout the term the beginning and end of each school day. We have we have offered tours on Monday and Tuesday recently contacted parents and asked that you do not mornings for parents and students and I have been so use the Sandhurst Road entrance for cars and to drop pleased and proud to hear of the wonderful comments off and collect students. I have in recent weeks asked made by families as they walk around the school while our Facilities Manager, Mr Weir, to stand on the main we are busy in lessons. They talk of the positive road and redirect cars in order to reinforce the point atmosphere within the school and the calm, orderly site and I would like to thank you for your cooperation in in which students and staff seem very happy. That this matter. means a lot to me and thank you to everyone for their help and support in creating such a positive and Could I please encourage all parents to drop and pick purposeful atmosphere. up students away from school if at all possible as with some 1,370 students we have more staff who need all the available parking space. We want to make the On the last Thursday in November we held our annual school site and adjoining roads as safe as possible for Christmas Shopping Event in the Sixth Form and once children who are either walking or cycling to school again this was a lovely evening with lots and lots of stalls and the congestion on Pinehill Road from the lights and both from outside the school and also many run by our then into Grant Road is becoming more and more students. The event was very well supported and very difficult. If you do have to drop in school please do not busy. A huge thank you to the PTA for organising such take a parking space that is going to be required by a wonderful event which this year raised approximately somebody for the whole day, but just drop or pick up £3,000. The students and staff of Years 7 and 8 once and go. Please do what you can to help. We collected clothes and blankets for the Norwood Goodbye for now to Mrs Petri, Head of Modern Charity based at Ravenswood which was sent directly to Foreign Languages, who left for maternity leave on 6th those affected by the typhoon. December and we wish her well. Mrs Littlehales will be Many thanks for your support with this appeal; we where acting Head of Department and we welcome to Mr overwhelmed by your donations of clothes and blankets Patrick O’Leary who has joined the Languages and we know these have made a difference. Department for maternity cover. Our non-uniform day raised a fantastic £2373.90. Thank you to students and staff for your generous support. Welcome back to Mrs Hollingdale, Head of English, Below is the thank you letter we received from who returned from maternity leave on 9th December Norwood Charity. and Mrs Coley, Deputy Head who will return from maternity leave at the start of next term. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone associated with the school a very Merry Christmas and a The super typhoon Haiyan that hit the Philippineshas Happy New Year. I hope you all have a peaceful time left thousands dead, homeless, hungry and traumatised. with family and friends and I look forward to seeing all As a school we have a significant proportion of students our students back in school on Monday 6th January 2014 who are from the Philippines and who have families and (Week B).