NEWSLETTER - Cherwell School

Cherwell online – Communication
with Parents & Carers
We are keen to continue to develop our online methods of
communication. This newsletter is an example, although for those who
prefer we have produced a number of hard copies which are available
for collection from the school receptions and libraries. In the future,
not only will newsletters, other letters and information about the school
continue to be available online; we will be developing a system where
parents can access specific information about their child, such as
attendance and assessment information. More details to follow next
term.
We also intend to look at the design of our website and should any
parents or carers have an interest and willingness to help in this area, we
would encourage them to contact the school.
If you have not provided the school with a valid email address
at this point and if you are able to do so, please email
schoolcomms@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk with your, and your child’s
details, as we will continue to use this method of communication
in the terms ahead. Should you not be able, or not wish, to
receive emails from the school we will always provide hard
copies of relevant information via your child.
Reporting Student Progress
From September 2010 we will be making a few changes to the way in
which we report students’ progress.
At the moment parents receive three reports per year: a Progress
Review showing Teacher Assessment and Effort in all subjects, a
Parents’ Evening report showing Teacher Assessment and Effort in all
subjects and a Full Report showing Teacher Assessment and Effort in
all subjects with a comment from Subject Teachers, Tutors and Head of
Year.
From September 2010 we will be sending home reports six
times a year (four for Years 11 and 13). The Reports will be similar
to the current Parents’ Evening reports and for Years 10 - 13 will
include Teacher Assessment and Effort grades along with Attendance
percentage since the start of the year. For Years 7 to 9 the reports will
include Effort grades on all six reports but Teacher Assessment on
just three as at present because National Curriculum levels tend not to
change significantly in a short time. One of the reports, towards the end
of the school year will contain full written comments from the Tutor and
Head of Year which will cover a range of areas including attendance,
behaviour, attitude and contribution to school life. Subject teachers
will continue to give classroom based individual feedback to students,
setting targets for improvement, and Parents’ Evenings will continue as
at present.
We feel that the benefits of moving to a system of assessing and
reporting more frequently are that we can track students more closely
and take action more quickly if they appear to be falling behind. We
hope that parents will also feel the benefits of being informed more
frequently of their child’s progress.
We will be reviewing this new system at the end of the next academic
year but in the meantime if you have any queries please contact Karen
Magrath, Assistant Headteacher
notices
Staff Leavers & Joiners
This is always a busy time of year with staff changes and we
wish all the colleagues who are leaving us all the very best in
the future. We do of course offer a warm welcome to those
who will be joining us in September.
Teaching Staff who will be leaving us at the end of term
6: Veronique Davis, Matthew Dolan, Claire Doran, Richard
Hook, Jermaine Jarvis (1 year leave of absence), Jake
Jones, Stephanie Grafe, Mary Hardy, Mike Keenlyside, Rene
Koglbauer (1 year leave of absence), Michaela Marden, Meryl
Matthews, Wenna Price, Nicholas Richmond, Howard Shaw,
Kate Thirlwall, Paul Whelan.
Support Staff who will be leaving us at the end of term
6: Liam Robbins, Robbie Wilson, Alice Street Soden, Joan
Keenan, Laura O’Sullivan.
Teaching staff who will be joining us in September: Alan
Bills (Physics), Joel Brisk (History), Katrina Bragg (Sociology),
Ben Bradford (PE), Cate Burdett (Chemistry), Lindsey Caldwell
(English), Sarah Champion (Music), Claire Davies (Geography),
Matt Gray (Faculty Leader for English & Media), Joanne Green
(Biology), Cecile Hughes (MFL), Eva Holloway (MFL), Louise
Johnston (Maths), Jon Mackay (Art/DT), Laura Malloy (MFL),
Sarah Read (Lead teacher for Business Studies), Elizabeth
Seller (Biology), Anna Simpson (Art), James Stainton Gurung
(Maths), Karl Sullivan (Drama), Joanna Williamson (Maths),
Stephanie Murrell (ADT).
Calling any
Heinemann employees!
We would like to know if any of our parents work
at Heinemann. If so, the school may be entitled
to a 50% discount on all book orders from the
publisher. If you can help, please contact Janet
Kidd, Finance Officer, on 01865 518205
or e-mail jkidd@cherwell.oxon.sch.uk
If you are happy to receive information via email,
please provide your name and email address,
Note that the schoolcomms@cherwell.oxon.
sch.uk email address should only ever be used
to inform the school about changes in email
address and for no other reasons.
If you change your email address, please do
remember to let us know.