Dear Parents and Carers
It was lovely to end our first half term of the academic year with a music concert and to start this half term with the promise of Carol Services as we move into the colder months. Last half term was such a busy one and it was the return of the full plethora of extra curricular activities that was a particular delight to see.
We have had the geography field trip, Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, more sporting successes, rehearsals for the Spring production of Sister Act and a daily diet of lunch time activities from Games club to debating. Our Year Sevens have settled particularly well and as students in all year groups become firmly established with their timetables and daily routines it feels an optimistic start to this half term.
That said, several of you have asked about fundraising and how the current financial situation has impacted on us as a community. It is true to say that the cost of living is hitting many of our families, and, like most schools, we too are facing unprecedented financial restraints. I want to assure you that, whilst challenging, Governors and Trustees are ever mindful that the quality of our curriculum offer remains broad and we keep the children in our care at the heart of our decision making. That’s not to say that this is not a very difficult time for our schools and our budget.
With this in mind if you would like to donate to our School Fund we are looking at how we can use such donations to ensure all children access the opportunities made available to them as well as identifying areas of our school that we are so desperate to improve – namely the toilets for Key Stage 3 children in the QES buildings. We will be in touch later this term about ways to support us in improving these facilities and are reviewing our approaches to fundraising, but, of course, we would welcome any donations in the meantime. You can donate via MCAS by selecting products and then School Fund Donations. Attached is the School Fund letter clarifying its use.
It has been great to see a return to Parents’ Induction events last half term (Years 7, 10 and 12) and our Year 9 Options Evening, not least because we know if we work in partnership our children see and hear a consistent message that helps them feel supported and cared for in our schools. Thank you in particular for your ongoing support with our standards and uniform– it is really making a difference and helping us remove some of those toxic pressures on young people that can become stressful distractions from learning and added burdens on families.
Along a similar vein, if any parents and carers are interested in a Governor Role here, we are looking to expand in this area and would welcome expressions of interest. Please contact my PA, Alison Bulman a.bulman@qes.org.uk if you are interested in discussing this important aspect of our schools.
Finally following the QEStudio Ofsted Inspection in February, as you know QES also experienced an Ofsted Inspection last half term. We await the report and I will send this to you when we receive it, but I would like to thank the parents and pupils who completed the surveys; we were truly heartened by the overwhelming messages of support that we received and continue to be extremely grateful to our parents and colleagues, and, of course, immensely proud of our wonderful pupils.
With many thanks, as always, for your continued support.
Best wishes
Cathy O’Neill
Executive Headteacher
