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18th November 2021

Dear parents and carers,

We are enjoying being back into the rhythm of a far more “normal” school year, although the by-product of this is that the weeks are speeding by. Year 11 began their mock exams last week and students prepare for end of term assessments in many subjects. Nevertheless, it is invigorating to run a full academic and pastoral calendar again and we continue to be incredibly proud of how our students, staff and parents are working so effectively together.

Mock Examinations Year 11

Our Year 11 Mocks are already underway and as always, students have been exemplary in meeting the demands of the formal regulations and have approached the mock exams with positivity and determination.  We continue to approach all assessments with an attitude of great purpose. Mock exams are designed to give students and teachers a clear idea of comparative strengths and weaknesses, in order to focus work and revision on the right areas in the final months of each course. Grades are important, of course, but it is crucial to note that Mock grades are a foundation on which to build success.

If parents or students have any subject specific questions regarding progress in courses, they can contact the relevant subject teacher and their Head of Year.

Attendance

Our school has high levels of attendance and this is vital to help children achieve and get the best possible start in life.  Children who frequently miss school fall behind and there is a strong link between good school attendance and achieving good results. 

In order to maintain high levels of attendance, if your child presents themselves to you as ‘unwell’ then you must send them to school regardless. At school we have medical needs coordinators. If they continue to feel unwell, your child can be assessed. We will call you should there be a need for them to go home.

Children sometimes have to miss school because of illness or if they have long-term medical issues. If this is the case, parents should contact school the same day to let us know the reason why the child is not in school. Please be familiar with our school processes for reporting absence, which can be found on the school website. 

Anti-Bullying Week 2021

This week is national anti-bullying week and we will be delivering a range of pastoral input through assemblies and tutor time regarding this important subject. As a school, we are committed to ensuring that every member of our community understands what bullying is, and each of our responsibilities in creating a school culture, which is respectful, considerate and supportive. 

We are completely certain that we will always act on concerns and issues, and take all necessary steps. We have a strong track record in resolving issues, and ideally like to know about concerns as early as possible, so if students or parents do have any concerns whatsoever please do contact the relevant Head of Year.

I am aware that many parents also like to support the school’s input on pastoral content, as one of the key features of an anti-bullying culture is one in which every single member of the school community is clear on what they can do to eradicate bullying. There is a full pack of information, specifically for parents and carers here: https://anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/anti-bullying-week/parents-and-carers

Covid-19 and Regular Lateral Flow Testing

A reminder to all students and families to continue rapid covid-19 testing twice weekly to stay ahead of the virus. We advise a test is taken on Sunday evening/Monday morning prior to the start of the week, and Wednesday evening/Thursday morning.

It is also important to report test results each time a test is taken, whether it is positive, negative or void at www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result. Students are able to collect test kits from their form tutors as often as they require.

Test at home, report online and keep life moving.

I will be writing again in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please check our website and social media feeds @StepneyAS for updates on what is taking place at our school.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Woods

Headteacher