Our Ref: DK/jh/gltr/Sept 24    

3rd September 2024

Dear Parent/Carer

It gives me great pleasure to write to you for the first time this school year, and in this slightly longer letter than normal I’ll provide some key reminders on the start of term along with other important details for the month ahead.

In this letter we will cover the following in more detail:

• Update on the 2024 GCSE/A Level results 
• Reminder: Arrangements for the start of term - Wednesday 4th / Thursday 5th September
• Reminder: Changes to Catering prices for 2024-25
• Reminder: Community support - Preloved uniform
• Head of Year updates 2024-25
• Key dates for the Autumn term: Parental Information Evenings and Y6/Sixth Form Open Evenings
• Appendix = Key dates for Parents/Carers 2024-25

There have been some very pleasing results for students and the school as a whole over the summer with the A Level/Level 3 qualifications and GCSE. Whilst DfE Performance Measure information isn’t available until later in the Autumn term, we’re pleased to report that there have been a number of improvements on results from 2023 and in comparison with the last set of exam results before the pandemic in 2019. 

Most importantly, there were lots of happy students with the grades they needed to secure places on courses or with employers. You may have seen information about the results in the local media, but we’re delighted to confirm that one of those happy students was Sameer Sohail who leaves us at the end of Year 13 with a place at Oxford University for this autumn. This is a major achievement, the third Holyhead student to gain a place at Oxford and something that all of us in the school community should take great pride in!

Arrangements for the start of term: A staggered return on Wed 4th / Thurs 5th Sept

A reminder that following on from the Staff CPD days we will be bringing students back to school using a staggered approach from Wednesday 4th September to Thursday 5th September. This will ensure all year groups have an extended Tutor period before they begin normal lessons on Thursday 5th September.
 

Changes to catering prices from September 2024
A reminder from my letter at the end of the last school year that from 4th September 2024 the price of our meal deal will remain the same as 2023-24 £2.65 per day, however, as a consequence of continued food inflation, the price of a number of other items on the menu will increase unfortunately. We were not looking at a blanket approach but instead targeting specific products and avoiding healthier items where possible. Another change is that sandwiches or baguettes are no longer available as part of the meal deal, but can be purchased as individual items.

These prices are still lower than other schools in the Trust and are benchmarked in comparison with local schools. If or when we see prices stabilise and reduce, we will pass this back via a reduction to our tariffs.

Preloved uniform - can you help by donating?
As we get ready to return after the summer holidays, it’s a good time to remind about our Preloved Uniform system which is designed to support families in the school community. If your child has any items of school uniform that they have outgrown or you are going to replace, please could you donate it to the school and it can be dry cleaned ready for a new owner. The generosity of our families continues to help us to support others so if you do have any donations to make, these can be handed in to the School Reception or students can give them to their Form Tutor. 

The items that can be donated are blazers, ties, black jumpers, black trousers, black skirts, white school shirts or blouses and PE kit items.

Parental Engagement: Parent Information Evenings in September
Following on from last year, we will be increasing opportunities for parents and carers to have a more active involvement in the life of the school. This will start with three year group Parental Information evenings in September. with the Year 7, 9 and Sixth Form Parental Information evenings being held in mid-October.

Parental Information evenings will involve an opportunity to meet your child’s Form Tutor in an informal setting before a 30 minute presentation from the Vice Principal and Head of Year with information and guidance to help to support your child’s education, as well as key events throughout the year. There will be an opportunity to stay behind and ask questions at the end of the evening if there is anything that you need clarification or support with.
 

Head of Year updates 2024-25

We have made a couple of changes with Heads of Year as Ms Jeffers will soon be going on maternity leave. Mr Cain, who joined us in June will be moving back to Year 9 to pick up the year group from Ms Jeffers and Miss Garawal will be stepping up as the Head of Year 10 from her role as the Student Engagement Officer. The Parental Information Evenings for each of these year groups will be a great opportunity for parents to get to know your child’s new Head of Year, and you can be assured that they are in excellent hands!

A reminder of the Heads of Year and Year Group Vice Principals is below:

Key dates for September/October: Early finishes for Y6 and Sixth Form Open Evenings

On Thursday 26th September we will be having our Y6 Open Evening from 5.30 - 7.30pm, a vitally important event for the community with many families deciding where to send their children to secondary school. 

As in previous years we have finished earlier in the day to enable staff to set up for the evening, and we will be doing so again this year.  Students will leave at 2:30pm on Thursday 26th September, with additional homework set by Period 4 lesson teachers. With a large number of students and staff involved late into the evening we will be having a delayed start to school on Friday 27th September, with students arriving by 10.25am ready for a Period 2 start.

We will follow the exact same arrangements on Thursday 3rd October which is our Sixth Form Open Evening with a delayed start again at 10:25am on Friday 4th October.

As ever I am extremely grateful for your time in reading this letter.  May I wish you and your family good health and fortune over the coming weeks.

Yours faithfully,

Dave Knox
Principal