Principal's Newsletter September 2017

Dear Parents / Guardians

Welcome everyone! I hope you enjoyed a relaxing break over the summer and that our students’ batteries are recharged for the challenges and opportunities of the new academic year.

I have the privilege of announcing a significant milestone for the Stephen Perse Foundation. In 2017-18 not only are each of our 3-11 schools now fully co-educational, the Senior School welcomes its first co-educational year group into Year 7.

Our early female pioneers in the late nineteenth century are today emulated by the girls and boys who are embarking on their own exciting educational journey with the Foundation - and they can look forward to joining our co-educational 6th Form in the future.

Boys and girls

New staff

In addition to welcoming new students across the Foundation, we also welcomed new staff.

Junior School

Miss Katherine Bluck, Deputy Head of Junior School
Mrs Kate Richardson, Key Stage 2 Teacher
Mrs Kerry Watkins-Marks, KS2/KS3 Teacher of Design Engineering and Visual Arts
Miss Candice Stevens, Key Stage 2 Teacher

Dame Bradbury’s

Mrs Audrey Barton, Year 4 Class Teacher
Mr Simon Newnes, Yr 4 Form/ PE/Games Teacher
Mr Paul Leggoe, Yr 2/ PE/Games Teacher

Senior School

Mr David Atkins, Curriculum Leader of Mathematics
Dr Laura Wright, Curriculum Leader of Physics
Ms Maria Colaco, Teacher of Mathematics
Ms Meriel Whalan, Teacher of English
Dr Karianne Law, Teacher of Physics
Dr Alison Maguire, Teacher of Chemistry, Senior School
Mrs Nicolle Hallam, Teacher of Mathematics, Senior School
Ms Veronica Escudero, Teacher of Spanish, Senior School
Mrs Alwyn Whitaker, Teacher of Mathematics, Senior School
Mr Ross Hayward, Head of Hockey

Farewell to Mr Simon Armitage

I take this opportunity to say farewell to Mr Simon Armitage. Having served the Foundation diligently for 10 years as Head of 6th Form and Director of Communications, Mr Armitage has secured a promotion and will be moving on later this term. He leaves with our thanks and best wishes.

Examination results

GCSE students celebrating

It is important to pause for a moment and reflect on the success of the 2017 cohort who have completed GCSEs, A Levels and the IB Diploma Programme. We congratulate them all on their impressive examination results. I should particularly like to highlight the success of our 6th Form who are moving on to diverse destinations and courses. We are proud of their achievements and wish them all well.

New build opens its doors

I am delighted to announce that we are close to taking full occupancy of the new build on the Senior School site. Having been part of this building project from its inception, it is really exciting and satisfying to see our plans translated into reality.

I should like to thank Mrs Jenny Neild, our Bursar, who along with our project management team, has led this complex build working closely with a range of experts. Special thanks also, to the Maintenance Team who ensured Year 9 form rooms were properly equipped in the new build for the first day of term.

By early October we shall be taking full advantage of all the facilities offered by this transformational building. This is a few weeks later than planned - unfortunately, because of the unprecedented wet weather in August, the humidity in the building prevented the laying of wooden floors. We are extremely grateful to Keir for their Herculean efforts to minimise the operational impact of this to a mere three week delay.Fi

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Senior School Open Day - change of date

Such is the interest in the new look Senior School, we are experiencing an unprecedented demand from prospective parents for Open Day, who want to come and have a look.

We are also aware that other families in the Foundation would like to visit the new build. We have therefore decided to adjust our plans to accommodate as many people as possible.

The Senior School Open Morning for prospective parents will move from Saturday 23 September to Saturday 14 October.

We shall be offering an Open House event for families in our Junior School, Dame Bradbury’s or our Pre-Preps on Thursday 9th November between 5-8pm.

Current parents in the Senior School and 6th Form are welcome to visit the new build on Friday 13 or Wednesday 18 October between 4-6pm.

I look forward to meeting many of you at these various events.

Best wishes,