It’s been a shorter week following the bank holiday but an incredibly important one for our Year 11 students as it saw the start of the exam season. The students will tackle an average of 20 papers over the coming 5 ½ school weeks. This is a demanding time for the students. I am always appreciative of the support families are providing at this critical time. Thank you in advance for all you are doing and will be doing to support your children through the exam period.

This week the nation has been celebrating the 80^th anniversary of VE day. It has been a timely opportunity for the nation to come together to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation from across the UK and Commonwealth. In school, an impeccable 2-minute silence was observed by the students. In addition, a group of our uniformed cadets represented the school at the VE 80 service at St James’ Church.

On Friday, the music department took 27 students to see a performance of ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, by Mozart. The performance was presented by the Welsh National Opera at the Birmingham Hippodrome and provided an enthralling introduction to the world of Opera. The performance was wonderfully presented, and it is great to have such open-minded young people wanting to approach new opportunities which may have been perceived as being initially exclusive and inaccessible.

Our U14s girls' rugby team had the privilege of playing at Kingsholm Stadium as part of a rugby festival on Wednesday. The team played with real grit and determination against some very strong opponents. We lost to Ribston in the Plate Final, but the girls should be so proud of how they played and how much they have progressed throughout the year. Well done to Esther H who was chosen as the player's player of the tournament.

More student success to share this week. I was delighted to hear that Year 8 student Aaliyah Cross has been selected for the England Lioness's talent pathway and has been asked to continue with no retrial for Forest Green Rovers as their keeper too. Things are looking very promising for Aaliyah’s future as a goalkeeper!

A reminder that next Thursday, 15 May, sees our Year 8 parent evening take place. Full details have been sent out. If you have any queries, please contact Abby Pogue in the school office. I look forward to seeing you next week.

As always, I include my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. If your financial circumstances have changed, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals. If you click on this link you will find guidance on the eligibility criteria and the application process. It's a quick process and we are notified of all FSM entitlements by Gloucestershire County Council each Monday. I would urge you to take a look if you think you may benefit from financial assistance.   

Kind regards,  

Richard Johnson 
Headteacher