GCSE English Language: Oracy Assessments

As part of the GCSE English Language qualification, all Year 11 students are required to complete a group discussion. The assessment contributes to 10% of their final grade.

All students will be sitting the non-examination assessment during the week beginning the 9^th of December. Due to the importance of this assessment, it is vital that all students attend school every day. To ensure that students are fully prepared, we will be completing vital preparation during English lessons. In addition, we will be offering extra intervention time in the lead-up to these assessments.

As part of the regulations linked to the qualification, it is compulsory for all students to be recorded. They must attend school on Thursday, 12^th December and Friday, 13^th December. If your son or daughter is absent from school during this time, they will have a significant impact on their own progress, as well as the progress of their fellow students. We will need a doctor’s note to verify any absences.

If you have any concerns regarding the above, please contact a member of the English Department. Alternatively, please contact Mrs. Baker (Head of Year) or Miss Jones (Assistant Head of Year).

Thank you for your support.

GCSE English Literature: Set Texts

As part of the GCSE English Literature qualification, Year 10 students are required to use copies of their set texts to support their revision.

All students will be sitting the GCSE English Literature Unit 1 examination on Wednesday, 8^th January.

Due to the cost of the set texts, and the fact that a number of students failed to return their books in previous years, we are asking parents and carers to pay a deposit of £10 via ParentPay. Providing the deposit is paid, students will be allowed to take books home. Once books are returned to the department, the deposit will be refunded.

If you have any concerns regarding the above, please contact a member of the English Department.

Thank you for your support.

Please click below to download the
Governors’ Annual Report to Parents.

Govs’ Report to Parents 2018-2019

All schools are advised to put in place emergency arrangements in the unlikely event of an incident requiring a school to use a lockdown procedure to ensure the safety of the pupils and staff. We have done many things to reduce risk to our pupils in school including putting up additional fencing, a new back gate and changing our procedures. We update our Emergency Plan each year and in support of this, we have put in place lockdown procedures. The lockdown procedure is a response to any incident that has the potential to pose a threat to the safety of pupils, staff and visitors in the school. The procedure may be used in situations such as an incident or civil disturbance in the local community, terrorist action or threat of terrorist action or an intruder on the school site.

When the school is in lockdown, all those on site will be required to follow the procedures. Staff and pupils will be required to go to or stay in the nearest classroom where the door will be locked or blocked to prevent access. Windows will be closed and phones need to be placed on silent. Senior members of staff in school will coordinate the lockdown procedures to ensure the safety of all areas of the school. We will establish contact with emergency services and the local authority until such time as it is appropriate to end the lockdown procedures.

The school will communicate to parents that lockdown procedures are in place via the school website and other social media platforms. We would request that in such circumstances, parents do not use the phones to contact the school as we would need to keep phone lines clear for communication with emergency services. There will be no access to the school other than to emergency services. During a lockdown, the school retains loco parentis and pupils will not be released to parents until the lockdown has ceased.

These procedures are a precaution and are nothing to be alarmed about. In order to support this process, we are going to undertake a lockdown rehearsal with all pupils, staff and visitors in school. This rehearsal will allow pupils to become familiar with the procedures as they are different to our fire evacuation procedures. We will discuss this with pupils to prepare them for this rehearsal but we would be grateful if you could reinforce the message that this is nothing to be concerned about but allows additional safety arrangements to be made in school should we need to use the lockdown procedures. The rehearsal will take place on Monday 18^th November. Should you have any questions in relation to this, please direct them via your child’s Head of Year

The praise and recognition structure allows pupils who meet and exceed our expectations to be recognised through a reward system (points), based on their attendance and engagement in learning.

Pupils are ranked Gold, Silver and Bronze over a half term period and receive amazing rewards celebrating their participation across the school.

It is an exciting system that has been developed with the student council, Heads of Year and Heads of Department. It is a whole school recognition system where positive attitudes are consistently rewarded.

Thank you to all of our supporters on Saturday 5^th October, in the proclamation event at Prestatyn High School, to welcome the Eisteddfod yr Urdd to Denbighshire. We managed to raise a fantastic £500 for the Urdd. Thank you to Dave from Prestatyn Lidl for providing us with food and drinks to sell on the day. Thank you also to Flip Out Chester and Voel coaches for donating a voucher for the raffle. We look forward to welcoming the Eisteddfod yr Urdd to Denbighshire in May 2020.

Two vacancies have arisen on the School’s Governing Body for a position as Parent Governor as a result of two of our existing parent governors’ term of office coming to an end.

Attached is a nomination paper for these positions and if you are interested in standing or inviting another parent to stand please ensure the nomination paper is fully completed and returned to Liz Thomas, the Clerk of Governors, by 1.00pm on Thursday 17^th  October, 2019.

The role of Governor can be both demanding and interesting and I would be happy to discuss this with anyone who would like further information.