Introduction
Happy new year – I hope it is a good one for everyone, for the school and, indeed, for the country as a whole as I suspect we could do with some good news! As a lifelong and fanatical sports fan (my wife informs me that if a game of tiddly-winks was being shown on Sky Sports she would have no doubt that I would be watching it and cheering enthusiastically) I am hoping that the London Olympics (how exciting!) will lift our national spirits!
Well the last days of term came and went, and were actually thoroughly enjoyable. I had said to staff in our Monday morning “Staff Briefing” at the beginning of the last full week of term that the best way to manage tired and excited children is to keep things as normal and “routine” as possible. This was achieved, more or less, and as I reported in my last Blog, it resulted in a week that went very smoothly. With only one and a half days to go my message on the last Monday Briefing of the term offered a much more flexible approach to the final few lessons, although, whilst walking around the school on Monday, it was clear that in one or two cases there was a fairly tenuous link between the “Christmas video” and the subject being studied, but under the circumstances – the end of a very long term, the Xmas Factor an hour or so away, and final assemblies during the next morning, I think everyone had already done an outstanding end of term stint!
Our students love the Teddington “Xmas factor” and I am grateful to the young members of staff who take on the organisation of this event, which is not insubstantial. As I had suspected, the “performers” were of mixed ability (with some outstanding performances) yet all were received enthusiastically from a very supportive audience, and a quasi judges panel where I was required, quite out of character of course, to take on a Cowellesque role. Our students particularly enjoyed performances from a couple of our resident staff performers, Mr. White whose singing (with a little harmonica section) was rapturously received and Ms. Murugan who provided some excellent vocals for a staff group dance which, although a little short on precision, was amply made up for in enthusiasm and, it has to be said, comic value! All our children thoroughly enjoyed the event and I am sure they were very appreciative of all the efforts that many members of staff went to in order to stage the event.
That evening we held our staff party in Teddington. We had well over seventy members of staff attend and all had a very enjoyable time. Given the intensity of the normal teaching week, term and year, there are only few occasions when staff do manage to get together socially. I am sure that most “Organisational theorists” will acknowledge, as do I, that a big staff turnout to a social event is indicative of a happy, functioning and successful organisation.
The final morning of term was our usual Christmas assembly prepared, as ever, by Ms. Waiting with students singing, reading extracts and reciting poems on the Christmas theme. An altogether more formal occasion than the previous day, a concept which our students were well able to both grasp and enjoy. End of term assemblies always mean saying farewell to colleagues and friends and I informed students of our leavers (which I informed you about in my last Blog) and asked them to think of how the leavers had helped them during their time with us. They showed their appreciation in the time honoured fashion of loud and respectful rounds of applause. And so finally for the students, it was their time to depart and begin a holiday which they had all been looking forward to for some considerable time. All that was left for me, was to share a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine with the staff and say our formal farewells to all our leavers and to wish them every future success and happiness. I finished some pressing business, cleared my desk, gathered up all the lovely Christmas cards I had been given by staff, students and parent (and one or two nice “bottles” which I planned to enjoy over the holiday) and then I drove to the gym after which I treated myself, to what I at least believed, was a well deserved glass of beer!
My Christmas was spent with family and friends relaxing and, probably, eating a little too much, although interspersed with a few trips to the gym and some long walks, including an extremely blustery one on the Haworth moors. The only thing missing was my daughter who spent her second consecutive Christmas in New Zealand – still, there’s always a chance for next year!
Highlights of last week
Wednesday of this week was a staff Inset day where we undertook some continuing and very important work on teaching and learning strategies prior to a return to school for our students on Thursday. They were greeted, in the weekly students briefing that I write for them, with my New Year’s Reminder of school “do’s and dont’s”. I find that a new calendar year is always a good time for such things and, if a Head is to ensure that school standards are consistently maintained to a high standard, (which is what I aspire to) it is essential to constantly remind children of school expectations. I make no apology for doing this to them on a regular (make that “daily”) basis!
On Friday I spoke to yr11 in a special assembly to remind them of how little time they had left in school and how important it was for them to utilise this time as effectively as possible. When I informed them that they had spent approximately 870 days in school since starting in year 7, and that their remaining 70 or so days of normal school timetable equated to little more than 8% of normal time left, this did actually raise a few eyebrows. I told them that they had always been a very good year group and we all wanted them to be a successful as possible in their forthcoming GCSE exams. This will not be the only time they are reminded of such things in the coming weeks!
Looking back, I could get used to a three day working week!
Congratulations (and entered onto our Achievement wall)
I have two boys to report on this week.
- Every credit to Tyler Young in year 7 who took it upon himself to do a sponsored walk around Richmond Park for a friend of the family who, at the age of 22, is becoming increasingly housebound because of chronic fatigue syndrome. Following his efforts, Tyler donated £110 to the Young ME Sufferers’ Trust and the ME Association. A wonderful gesture and yet another excellent example of how young people, despite popular opinion, are prepared to put themselves out for the good of those less fortunes than themselves.
- And sporting congratulations to Tom Hodgson, yr11, who has been selected to represent Surrrey U16 at football in the National County Cup against Oxford on Tuesday. An excellent achievement and we wish him good luck in the match.
Results – last week
| Date | Year | Gender | Sport | Opponents | Venue | Competition | Result |
| Tuesday 13th Dec | 8/9 | Girls | Basketball | Waldegrave | Home | Borough Championship semi-final | WON 70-18 |
Fixtures – this week
| Date | Year | Gender | Sport | Opponents | Venue | Competition | Time |
| Wednesday 11th Dec | 7 | Girls | Basketball | Fullbrook | Away | Surrey Cup pool match | Leave: 3.15pm Approx return: 6.00pm |
| Friday 13th Jan | 9/10 | Girls | Indoor Cricket | Various | St. Mary’s Uni. | Borough Championships | Leave: 8.25am Approx return: 12.20pm |
| Friday 13th Jan | 9 | Boys | Basketball | Christ’s | Away | Borough Final | Leave: 3.15pm Approx return: 5.45pm |
What’s on this week (for those involved)
- Yr11 reports will be issued to students this week.
- Monday – PTA meeting – room 101 – 8.00pm (all parents welcome)
- Tuesday – yr11 English Language GCSE exam
- Thursday – yr10 Core Science GCSE exam and yr10 Triple Science Biology exam
Theme for the week – UNICEF Week for change . This is an interesting weekly section. Both the Theme for the week and “In the news” can be accessed by the “Student News” link on the front page of our website.
Last week’s student vote topic and outcome – none last week. This week’s student vote topic – Seasons – which is your favourite?
In the news – Selected this week by 10BY
General
A look on the Student Briefing section of the school web-site (the new one of which will be going “live” soon – if that’s the appropriate terminology) will allow you to see my list of “expectations” that I raised with students on their return.
I am sure there are many parents who have an Interest in such matters, who will be keen to hear of a couple of “new arrivals” in the Science Department. Ms. O’Brien gave birth to a girl, Ciara Ameila (a healthy 9lb 3oz) and, not to be outdone, Ms. Brown gave birth to a boy, Oliver Henry (an even healthier 10lb!) Mums and babies are very well and we wish them a lifetime of health and happiness together.
What made me smile this week
A very good friend of the school, an elderly lady, has, for the past decade, has sent me a Christmas card and enclosed three gift vouchers for me to give to children who, for one reason or a thousand, are deserving of a small gift. This is a lovely gesture which I have always appreciated. However, the nicest part for me is to call the selected children to my office to explain why I have called for them and to give them the voucher. The smiles on the faces of these young recipients are a joy to see. It is interesting that often in the past when I have given the voucher to a child who deserves to spend something on themselves, their first response is to say they are going to buy something for their Mum. I love working with children!
Have a good week
