Denstone College Newsletter - 24-11-2023

24 November 2023

Newsletter from the Head – Week 12

Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome to the Exeat weekend of this half term; a much needed break before the final push to Christmas. It has been a most successful week with so many areas of progress, learning and hard work. Your children continue to inspire me with their restless enthusiasm and desire to achieve so much. This particular newsletter contains a huge amount of important information regarding the remaining few weeks of this term and the many and varied events; please do spend some time this weekend reading.

Fifth Form Pupils moving in to Sixth Form

Fifth Form students have today received information about the subject options available to them in next year’s Sixth Form. The online version of our ‘Sixth Form Curriculum’ document, containing important information regarding the options process as well as information and guidance on choosing subject options for next year, can be viewed using the following link:

https://denstonecollege.turtl.co/story/sixth-form-curriculum/

Students will be attending their ‘Sixth Form Options Fair’ next week and an invitation will also soon go out for parents attending the ‘Progressing to Sixth Form’ evening on Monday 4 December. Students are required to submit initial subject preferences for next year’s Sixth Form by the deadline of Wednesday 13 December.  

Flair Report

In the coming days, all students and staff will receive an email invite to take part in an anonymous 'Race in the School Community' survey, run by an external company called FLAIR.

The questions will provide an opportunity for students and staff to reflect on their views and experiences related to race while at school. The responses will give us a better idea of student and staff experiences and help us to understand in which areas we can improve. The findings from this research will also help guide our policy decisions.

The survey is anonymous and your child will be given time at school to complete this survey.

Coffee with the Head

Throughout the course of this year, I will be hosting parents at my house for an informal coffee morning. This is simply a social event and a chance for me to spend more time with our families. These will occur at various stages throughout the year so please do keep an eye out for an invitation. This term invites will be sent to the following groups but more will come in the New Year.

Saturday 2 December at 11:30 for Parents of First Formers in Heywood and at 12:30 for Parents of First Formers in Lowe, Lonsdale & Meynell.

Saturday 9 December at 11:30 for Parents of First Formers in Philips & Selwyn and at 12:30 for Parents of First Formers in Shrewsbury & Woodard.

Carols by Candlelight - Sunday 3 December

You are warmly invited to attend the Carols by Candlelight Service on Sunday 3 December. This is due to start at 6pm, but Chapel starts to fill from 5.15pm. It is a popular event and seats are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Following the service there will be some festive refreshments served in the Dining Hall. If you have any questions regarding the event, please do contact Jackie Plewes: [email protected]

First Form Christmas Disco

The calendared First Form Christmas disco is taking place at the College on Friday 1 December.  For further details, please refer to the letter on the Parent Portal.

Evolve

Below is a list of trips currently launched on Evolve:

Communications Available on the Parent Portal

The following letters can be found on the Parent Portal by visiting https://denstonecollege.parents.isamshosting.cloud    

• First Form Christmas Disco

Wishing you all a restful Exeat.

Lotte