November Parental Bulletin
Our Friday Surgery
As part of our commitment to working collaboratively and closely with all parents, the Director of Post-16 Learning will be running a weekly drop in style surgery for any parents of one of our Sixth Formers. This surgery will run from 0745-0830am every Friday in Meeting Room 1 by Reception, and is an opportunity for parents to drop by and discuss any concerns or queries that they may have. No appointment is necessary. The first surgery will run from Friday 7th October.
Breakfast and Afternoon Tea Information Briefings
Although these information events have now finished, I am conscious that a number of parents wanted to come but were unable to do so because of other commitments. We are therefore in the process of organising some new dates for additional briefings, so please keep checking this section of the website for updated information. In the meantime, please be aware that I have given a Parents’ Guide to UCAS to all students in Year 13, with instructions that they are to bring them back to you at home. This booklet provides an informative overview about the process of making an application to higher education, and supplements the information contained in our own website section.
Citizenship and PSCHE
Please be aware that the whole Sixth Form recently explored the issue of homelessness during our CAD on Thursday 3rd November. The charity Watford New Hope Trust came to the academy and led several interesting workshops; to further embed the learning opportunities, we are encouraging all students to do some independent research following this event by clicking on the Independent Learning links within our PSCHE section within this website. Why not participate by having a 20 minute discussion with your son or daughter about this pertinent topic, and explore together what they learnt about the causes, consequences, and ‘solutions’ to this issue.
Cash or Shoeboxes!
Indeed, if you want to actively help further, please be aware that a number of our Sixth Form students are doing an overnight sleep out within the school grounds on Friday 11th November; the purpose is to raise money for the Watford New Hope Trust charity. Perhaps you could help us by donating a shoebox full of useful equipment (shower gel& soap; razors; tea & coffee; biscuits etc - anything that would be useful in a homeless shelter) – this can be left in our main reception for the attention of Nompumelelo Siziba in Year 13.
Thursday 24th November
Both Year 12 and 13 will be travelling by coach to St Albans Cathedral for a fabulous morning’s programme of enrichment. Their Education Centre is hosting a range of speakers and debates, involving the following individuals: His Honour Judge Andrew Bright QC, Resident Judge at St Albans Crown Court; The Reverend Dr Giles Fraser, Canon Chancellor at St Paul’s Cathedral; Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East and Parliamentary Secretary to the Defence Secretary; Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda and a staunch critic of the Murdoch Empire’s involvement in phone hacking. The award winning journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed will also be a chair of one of the panels.
There is no cost for this visit, although students should have some money to pay for lunch and refreshments. Any student who has an allergy or asthma will need to bring their epi-pen or inhaler, and only prescribed medicine (with a completed MED1 Form) can be brought. All students should be in smart dress for the occasion.