Dear Parents/Carers,
Following a short break during the national period of mourning for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth our weekly updates now continue. Students have been working incredibly hard over the last two weeks. This academic year has seen an increase in the number of positive reward points compared to the same point last year with 13697 awarded so far which is incredible! We have also seen attendance at our lunchtime and afterschool clubs continue to rise. It is our aim to ensure that every student in the academy attends at least one club a week for the benefits of broadening horizons, making new friends, developing self esteem and confidence as well as just having fun. We ask that all parents and carers speak with their son/daughter about our co-curriculum and support us in our aim in signing up to at least one club through SOCS.
Return to face-to-face Parents’ Evenings
Although we have attempted to retain our virtual parent’s evenings and were intending to attempt a hybrid event we have been unable to do so due to the financial constraints imposed by the same increases in cost we are all experiencing. This year we will return to face to face parents evenings beginning with our year 11 next Thursday. We always prefer to invite parents and carers onto site for meetings where possible as it helps to develop relationships with staff so we are really looking forward to seeing you all again to discuss your son/daughter’s progress at those events.
An Inspector Calls
The English department organised for forty five Year 11’s to travel to Wimbledon, London to see An Inspector Calls (GCSE text). They all had a wonderful time and enjoyed the production immensely, providing visual understanding of the play. They were fantastically behaved throughout the whole evening and the six staff members that accompanied had a wonderful time also.
Sanctuary and Healthy Minds
Mascalls is excited to announce the opening of ‘Sanctuary‘ a safe prayer space for the students of Mascalls. Sanctuary is a calm, welcoming, multi faith room which caters for people of all faiths and none. It can be found on the ground floor of F Block and will be open to students during break and lunch to provide the opportunity for students to reflect, meditate, pray and find peace. If you have any questions regarding Sanctuary, please contact Mr Allen via reception.
Train Travel
Whilst the overwhelming majority of our students behave impeccably on public transport whilst representing both parent/carers and us as an academy in travelling to and from the academy there are a small number who occasionally let us down. We ask kindly that parent/carers support this academy and speak with their sons/daughters about conduct in travel largely around loud conversations that contain conversational swearing overheard by members of the public. We have begun to work with both our Schools Liaison Officer and British transport police to identify antisocial behaviour, but I am sure we would all much prefer calm, safe and considerate travel first.
Open Evening
This week we saw our open evening welcome more families to Mascalls than ever before with around one thousand cars parked over the entire evening at various points. It really was a huge event. We frequently receive communications regarding the exemplary conduct of our students but this year was an entirely different level, we were inundated so a thank you – to parents and carers for allowing their son/daughters to help as guides or within subjects (we had more than ever) and also the student for representing our academy so well. You were fantastic, as usual.
Change in Academy Leadership
No doubt you will have read Mr Beamish’s update sent yesterday regarding my appointment from January as Academies Director, I am absolutely thrilled to be offered such a post and also extremely pleased to be able to continue working with Mascalls overseeing a new Principal to ensure continuity, support and continued excellence. The search for an outstanding candidate began yesterday and parents/carers will be updated as soon as we have the information to share with you.
Finally, from me as ever my thanks go to the parents and carers who continue to support us in ensuring our academy goes from strength to strength. Encouraging our magnificent students to achieve more and more points, maintain fantastic attendance and take on new and exciting opportunities all of which build skills and characteristics that will make success inevitable going forward.
Yours sincerely,
Mr W Monk
Principal
