WLD Update Sunday 3rd February 2019

Thanks to everyone for your support in getting your young people into school despite the ice and snow this week.  I hope that the coming week is less disrupted by the weather!   

We are a school which makes no excuses for the fact that we consider that strong relationships and exceptional support are the foundation of a great education - results are very important, but they don't tell the whole story, but any means!  We strive to ensure that our students enter adult life as mature, skilled people, able to form strong appropriate relationships with others and able to take full advantage of whatever life may hold for them.  This is one reason that we focus so much on our young people's attitude to their learning - the ability to try your hardest at whatever is in front of you is a skill and a mindset that will stand everyone in good stead for whatever life may bring. 

Some regular updates:  

• Staff appointments - I am delighted to announce that Miss Mayor has been appointed as our new Special Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) from September 2019, when Mrs Snape retires.  Miss Mayor will be well-known to many parents and carers as the current Head of Opening Minds and as a member of staff who has a lot of experience of students with additional needs.  I am also delighted that Mrs Wall has been appointed as the permanent Assistant Headteacher in charge of the curriculum - this is a post that she has held on an interim basis for the last 2 years and I am delighted to have been able to make the appointment permanent. 
• Phones - thanks for your support - the problems have reduced considerably!
• Year 11 Parents' Evening - this Wednesday! This is the final formal chance to discuss the individual progress of our Year 11 students so it is very important that we meet with every family.  The date has been advertised since September and the letters have been out for the last couple of weeks. 
• Shoes - The situation has improved considerably - thanks for your support - please just remind boys that black trainers are not school uniform!  

Upcoming events - please keep an eye on the calendar: 

• Year 11 Parents' Evening - Wednesday 6th Feb - this Wednesday
• Enrichment Day 3 - Thursday 7th Feb -this Thursday
• Year 9 Options Evening and Parents' Evening - Wednesday 13th Feb  letters were issued last week

Our WLD Career of the Week is Clinical Psychologist.  Our Thought for the Week is "Online Safety" - a current and vitally important topic.

Have a good week....

James Harris

Headteacher