Dear Parent/Carer
As we break up today for the Easter holidays, we wanted to get in touch and update you on a number of key events that have taken place this half term and also signpost your attention to some key information when we return. Despite this half term only being 6 weeks in length, it has once again been packed to the brim; formal mock exams and mock results events for Year 11 and Year 13, an amazing recruitment event for prospective external sixth form students, parents’ evenings for Year 7 and 10 and some crucial staffing appointments for next academic year. This has been incredibly important due to the increase in popularity of both Y7 and Y12 for September 2022.
Despite being fully prepared and eager for the visit, our anticipated Ofsted call never came. We will return later in the month refreshed and once again, fully prepared for our inspection, whenever it happens. Today we have communicated with the record 270 year 6 parents who have secured their child’s place to study here in September and we are delighted to see our school grow off the back of the hard work everyone has put in over recent years.
In line with schools nationally, new COVID variants have impacted both our staff and student bodies. Despite this our attendance has remained 3% above national levels throughout and your support in getting children into school has been much appreciated. On a similar note, we have been hit with noticeable staff absence at times, including levels worse than at the peak of the pandemic. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank all of the staff who have been phenomenal in ensuring no child’s education was negatively impacted by any staff absence. Colleagues have rallied around, taught lessons live from home whilst isolating and gone above and beyond to cover for absent colleagues. We are confident when we say that not many communities will have been better served in recent months by such a dedicated set of staff than here at Heanor Gate.
Our staff commitment and dedication continues next week where a large number of colleagues are giving up periods of their holidays to come in and offer additional revision and support sessions for Year 11 and Year 13 students. Unlike other schools, staff receive no additional payment for this and this is yet another tangible example of the care
and dedication shown by the teachers and support staff.
You will have seen correspondence earlier in the week regarding our HGSA SAT superstars day. All schools in the Spencer Academies Trust will be running a fundraising event on Friday 13 May 2022 and given both of our competitive natures, we want ours to be the biggest and best of them all. Final plans of activities will be launched to students once we return and we hope to raise some worthy funds to help our own and other promising students in their extra-curricular ventures over the coming years.
On May 16th the GCSE and A level examinations officially begin and it is imperative that during this period, every member of the school community supports our Year 11 and Year 13 students during this potentially stressful time. Our usual standards of behaviour and discipline are strong and we must ensure this is maintained throughout the examination season in order to provide our Year 11 and Year 13 students with the best possible environment to prepare and sit their exams and be as successful as they can be.
Yours sincerely
Mr S Huntington and Mr M Jones
Executive Principal and Senior Vice Principal